The NejixTen Chronicles
by Aburame Megumi
Summary: They never were supposed to love. But they did anyways.
1. Always

NejiTen Fluff Stories…

(Inspired in Music Theory Class…don't ask. I was..bored by melodic dictation and four part harmonization. And the first time I typed this, I accidentally deleted it all…cries)

The day was perfectly sweet-the air bearing an even chill and warmth. The sun liberally handed out its rays, landing over Tenten's umber locks. She sat on the log as usual, waiting for Neji to come. They made it a tradition to train every day at 7 in the morning, right at this log.

Tenten smiled as she recollected when it started. They had just been 12 or so years old. Now, they were practically…no, they were adults. It felt odd…time had gone by far too quickly. Things had…changed, in ways Tenten rathered to not consider.

She first thought about Sasuke's disappearance, Lee's near death fight, the Sand Village-life wasn't as easy as before…

Then her mind wandered to her own problem-she blushed at the thought of it. Over the years, Neji was…more than a friend in her eyes. But, considering his stoic ways, she knew that he could never feel the same way about her. She had…grown to accept it, as best as she could, that is. Its not like it was easy, but she tried to still just be…a friend.

Her thoughts were interrupted by the shadow that fell over her. It was Neji Hyuuga. She had to admit to herself, he had grown rather handsome over the years. His long brown hair, off-setting his pearled eyes. Those eyes that she could gaze into for hours, if she knew he wasn't watching her.

Her first reply to his entrance was her immature blush. He seemed to notice, but said nothing. After a few moments of silence, he said, "You know…" Tenten looked up. "Hiashi-sama told me…that I have to get married soon…"

Tenten seemed surprised by this comment. Neji never…discussed emotional things such as this-especially to her. She wondered…did Neji love someone? Her heart sank, but she managed a smile. "So-whose the lucky girl?"

Neji gave her that usual stoic look. The look she had grown to adore over the years. How she could love that icy heart was beyond her understanding, but she did. She loved Neji Hyuuga.

"…"he began, "Its not obvious?"

Tenten was surprised by this also. HE wasn't the kind to publicly show his emotion-so how the heck was she supposed to know who? "…No…" her mouth barely moved.

He smirked.

Tenten smiled again, "So-who is she? Is she someone I know?"

Neji thought for a moment. "Well-she's beautiful, yet she's strong. I don't have to constantly defend her…" tenten's mind replayed all the times she had lost on missions with Neji…well, that counted her out. "I've known her a long time…and I guess it took me a while to realize that I've…loved her,"

Tenten tried to hold back tears she felt rushing to her eyes. "Well…you two will be wonderful together-"

Neji's eye brow raised. Did Tenten still not get it? Well, he never had been good at bluntly saying things, so he thought of something else. "…so Tenten, how does one tell another person that you love them?"

Tenten's eyes opened wide. Was…Neji asking her for advice? "Well…" Her eyes fell to the dirt ground. "You should...kiss her." The words fell out lamely. "Actions speak…louder than words" she muttered almost in a hushed whisper.

Neji got closer, sitting next to her on the log. Tenten looked up, a bit red. She felt like she was 13 again.

"Like..this?" Neji asked, his face getting slowly closer to Tenten's. She was caught off guard. What was Neji-

But before she could think, she felt his lips pressed against hers. Her heart beat faster than ever before, but she liked it. She loved it! Something seemed to feel free-and all from one small kiss.

When they broke apart, Tenten reached a hand to her lips, blushing crimson red. "Neji-kun…." She couldn't think straight. 

"I…love you, Tenten," he said simply.

Tenten's eyes grew huge. "But-"

Neji seemed surprised. "But what? You don't-"

"But I'm not beautiful or strong and you've always had to help me!" she almost cried like her younger self. She remembered those nights on the missions, once Lee and Neji were asleep, where she'd escape her tent, running into the woods, where she could cry. She hated to see if anyone saw her cry…

She felt Neji's arm around her. "What are you talking about?" he asked, his usual tone ringing in her ears.

She smiled fakely. "I've…never been able to compare with Ino or Sakura or Hinata…they're all…so beautiful…I could never-"

"I think you're beautiful" Neji blinked. He wasn't very…good at just…saying any of this.

But a surprised smile grew on Tenten's face. "Do you…mean that Neji?"

He nodded, still rather serious. But that was just Hyuuga Neji.

Before Tenten could stop herself, she felt her arms fling themselves over Neji's neck, and her head rest on his shoulder. "I love you, Neji kun…..thank you…"

Neji's eyes opened wide in surprise. Well..this was going well. An actual smile began to slightly pull on his lips as his arms wrapped around Tenten.

But of course, since Lee has that youth detecting aura, he began to walk by that part of the woods, until he saw his teammates, wrapped in each others arms, kissing again.

Now, Rock Lee had no idea that his teammates had such youth in their hearts, so in his utter surprise, he shouted, "NEJI SAN! TENTEN CHAN! I HAD NO IDEA!!!"

Well, that obviously broke Neji and Tenten from their…whatever. author: sweat drop They both looked at Lee with wide eyes, completely unsuspecting of Lee's sudden appearance. Well, why would Neji bother with his Byakugan now?

Waterfall tears fell over Lee. "Oh! What youth! I'm so---proud of you!!!"

Neji and Tenten sat their for a few moments, not sure whether they should figuratively kill Lee or ignore him. Choices, choices.

Well, it was made fore them when Lee ran over, wanting one of those Gai sensei hugs. That's where Neji drew the line.

Before Rock Lee could think, both Neji and Tenten had thrown a few kunai at his bushy eyebrows. Lee quickly dodged them, but the sudden attack caught him off guard.

"I'm GOING TO TELL GAISENSEI! HE'LL BE SO HAPPY!!!" Lee dashed off into the distance.

author: well, since I'm cheesy, I can't think of a better ending… Once Lee was gone, Neji pulled a box out of his pocket-with a shimmering ring! author: squeals Tenten gasped, and gave Neji another kiss.

"Always…" she smiled.


	2. It Started With A Giggle

Megumi: I DO NOT OWN NARUTO….

HINATA CHAN DOES!!!

Hinata?! Na-nani? pokes fingers together

Megumi: You can't deny that you are the sunshine of Naruto kun's life! You own his heart! 

Hinata: I…..blushes

Megumi: coughs AND I OWN KIBA!!! 

Kiba?!?!?!?! 

Shino: Nee-chan-baka – they mean you don't own Naruto's copyrights!

Megumi: I don't own that either!

Shino: And you DON'T own kiba.

Megumi: sniffles I guess you're right…

_**It Started With a Giggle…**_

"YOUTH!!!" Lee cried out. Tenten and Neji knew where this was going.

Another green clad man came, following his younger's suit of "YOUTH!!!"

Tenten suppressed a moan. Everyday, Rock Lee and Gai sensei began their poetic rant about the wonders of youth, hope and wonder-followed with rainbows, sunsets and mutant dolphins oO

Anyway, Tenten and Neji looked at each other, and did what they always did in reply. They walked away, leaving the two green beasts of Konoha hugging.

Tenten seemed different today. As the two left, she giggled. Neji gave her that eye of "What the crap are you thinking?", and she just smiled her adorable smile, walking on.

Neji was getting concerned. Since when had he heard Tenten..giggle? However, as far as he was from admitting it, he liked her giggle 

"…Tenten, are you alright?" he asked concerned, once she leaned against a tree, ripping flowers up in a naïve childish way.

Her umber eyes rose to meet his pearly ones. She cocked her head cutely. "What'd you mean, Neji kun?"

Kun-Neji's face froze. Since when had _anyone _called him "kun", let alone Tenten?

"You just…seem different today…" he muttered, trying to hide a twitch.

She smiled, blushing, looking to the grass. "I guess..you could say….I'm….in love…" the words came out hardly louder than a whisper.

Neji's eyes grew wide. Tenten-in love? She was that tomboy girl, who found pure enjoyment in throwing things at people! How could she-find a love? And more importantly---who? Again, neji wouldn't admit it, but he thought very highly of Tenten-VERY highly, to the point of liking her, to the point of LOVING her, to the point of if there was another guy who looked like he just MIGHT hit on Tenten within a 5 meter radius, he was met with the Gentle Fist technique.

"…Really?" Neji asked, trying to sound uninterested.

Tenten nodded, decapitating another flower.

"…Who is it?" Neji asked.

"…Guess!" she said, smiling.

He gave her a glare. As if he could guess-no, as if he WOULD stoop to guessing. "Tell me."

"I want you to guess!" Tenten said excited. "I'll give you some clues!"

"Fine," Neji gave in.

"Let's see…" Tenten held a finger to her lip in thought. "He's very handsome, Konoha's strongest ninja (in my mind), the pride of his clan, he has amazing eyes, and though he may look unkind, he's the nicest guy I've ever met!" she explained succinctly.

Neji gave her a surprised look for a moment. That didn't…really help. Then-Sasuke! It had to be that guy. Suddenly, he had a strong bloodlust for ripping the Uchiha's head off.

"Is it…Sasuke?" Neji asked, biting his lip to restrain his sudden impulse to go kill the guy right now.

Tenten suppressed a laugh. "Um…no…."

"Just tell me then," Neji glared at an innocent bystanding tree.

"I want you to guess!" Tenten replied again.

"I did-"

"But you didn't guess right! Try again!" Tenten smiled warmly. Neji couldn't resist that, no matter how hard he tried. So, he sat down next to her, under the trees shade and thought for a moment.

Tenten's heart began to race. Neji-THE Neji Hyuuga was sitting next to her-more closely than usual-Her face began to grow red.

"…Is it…" he tried to think of every shinobi in the village…Shino? Well, no one had seen his eyes, but maybe Tenten had-

"Shino?" he asked lamely. Tenten keeled over, gasping for air.

"Neji----Don't scare me like that!" Thinking of her staring at Bugboy was a scary thought in and of itself…

Kiba? Nothing special about him. Lee? He shivered. _I seriously hope she's sane enough to not fall for him…_ Choji? No-Tenten was smarter than that.

"Do I even know him? Neji asked.

"Of course you do!" Tenten laughed. Neji turned a vague shade of red.

"Please don't tell me its Rock Lee…"

"NEJI!" Tenten fell forward on her face. "Who do you think I am? You're HORRIBLE at this!"

"Then just tell me," he folded his arms behind his head, leaning against the tree.

"…I'll tell you if you let me braid your hair!" Tenten said after a few moments of silence.

"?!" Neji looked at her suspiciously.

"…" Tenten gave him a penetrating glare, and he didn't question her further.

"Fine." Wow-Neji really wanted to know-since when had anyone but Hinata done his hair? (Megumi: Hehe-He doesn't know that Hina chan and I were the ones who put honey in his hair a couple years ago…. FUFUFU!) He turned his back to Tenten reluctantly, as her warm slender fingers went through his hair.

"Another clue?" tenten asked, growing despirate for Neji to just get it.

He nodded furiously, showing too much interest. Wait. "?!?! You said you'd tell me!"

Tenten giggled. "I still want you to guess! This isn't as hard as you're making it!"

Neji glared again. Why did he love her again?

Tenten began again, "He's a prodigy…I've known him since I started to go to the academy…He's a Hyuuga…" she smiled as she looked up to the clouds. He couldn't miss it now…

Hm…Well, that knocked out Naruto-if he wasn't knocked out earlier. No-that knocked everyone from the academy.

"…He's related to me?!" Neji asked suddenly.

Tenten pouted. "You still don't get it! How can you miss it!"

Neji's eyes flashed. "How can I miss it? Is it really that obvious?!"

"Well, apparently not! Neji kun, you're so dense!" Tenten frowned. He may be a prodigy, but for a prodigy, he was…stupid.

"If its so obvious, why don't you tell me?" Neji accidently shouted at her.

"Well, he's sitting under a tree with me right now, and he's got the BEST LOOKING HAIR I"VE EVER SEEN!!!" Tenten shouted back.

Neji's eyes grew wider than they ever had before. "….Me?"

"YES!!!! I LOVE YOU NEJI HYUUGA!!!" Tenten screamed angrily. Of course, only Tenten or Ino would do soemthign like that. But before she could shout anything else, she felt Neji's arms around her waist, as he pulled her in.

"I love you, Tenten," he mumbled, since he wasn't very good at just…admitting it.

Tenten's face rose in hue-beyond the colour spectrum. Her arms laced around Neji's neck as he gave her a short kiss.

Of course, as usual, Lee and Gai sensei got over their emotional thing…or whatever, and walked over to see the "Not so youthful Neji and Tenten spar!" They began skipping, saying "We're on a magical adventure! Of hope and wonder! We shall find CANDY MOUNTAIN, and we shall bring the not so youthful Neji and Tenten who need to discover the power of their youth-" 

And they stopped there, as they saw that Neji and Tenten had indeed found their youth, considering that they were in each other's arms, kissing under a Sakura tree. A blossom fell on Tenten's head and she giggled, resting her head on Neji's shoulder.

Lee's jaw dropped, seeing that Neji had defeated him once again—well, in the sense that Lee still hadn't convinced Sakura to go out with him. He had always thought that he was the most youthful-but seeing as he had never gotten Sakura's kiss, and here were Neji and Tenten…together, it made him flail in the wind.

"I have been over come by a more youthful spirit!!!" He cried, Gai sensei crying waterfalls of tears.

"You two have discovered the magical journey of YOUTH! Even better than that of Candy Mountain…" Gai cried.

Neji and Tenten looked up, utterly surprised by this…magical appearance. AWKWARD MOMENT OF SILENCE….oO

"I—I—" Tenten muttered. Neji began to hyperventilate.

Gai sensei ran up and hugged them. Well, not really the right thing to do, considering that Neji was one of those über protective people…

"GET AWAY FROM HER!!!" he cried, blowing a not so gentle fist punch in his own sensei's face. Gai sensei went blasting off…like Team Rocket!

"Now…" Neji's eyes were calm again. "Where were we?"

Tenten giggled and gave him a sweet kiss on the cheek. "Where _were_ we?"


	3. Will You Make It Better?

4 year old Neji walked through Konoha, trying to act manly and hide his tears. But that cut on his arm REALLY hurt. His cousin Hinata chan wasn't around, and she always gave him a hug to make it feel better. To san of course wouldn't, and Ka san was...dead. He tried to sniffle in the tears, but it really hurt...

He opened his wet lavender eyes in surprise to see a girl his age standing right in front of him. Her brunette hair was in tight pigtail buns, and her large honey eyes looked at him questioningly.

"What's wrong?" she asked, concerned.

"...nothing," he tried to say, though he couldn't hide his bloodied arm.

"Your arm!" The girl pointed a finger in surprise. A tear went down her eye. Neji frowned.

"I was training with o-To san, and he said I had to stick through it. But it still REALLY hurts..." he tried to not whine, especially in front of a GIRL.

"I'm sorry," she blushed sadly, and with a swift motion, she lightly kissed the cut on his arm, then smiled. "Before Ka san died, she always would kiss my cuts, and they'd feel a lot better!" 

Neji's eyes grew wide and his face grew dramatically more red.

"Well," she frowned. "Did it work?" 

He nodded. "Un! Thank you!" he skipped off, terribly happy. Neither of them forgot that day.

10 or so years later, that girl laughed sadly to herself, as she saw that same boy all cut up agian, but of course, far worse. That girl was Tenten, who had been Neji's teammate for quite some time now, still musing on that day.

He had changed ever since his father had died, carrying himself so stoically. Tenten wished that same little boy was here now...

That's why she was surprised when she heard him mutter her name.

"Tenten..." he muttered, his eyes still closed. Her honey eyes flashed at him, a blush creeping up her cheeks.

"N-neji?" she asked cautiously.

A smirk grew over his face. "Do you remember...when we first met?"

This sudden question fo Neji's threw Tenten off guard. "Un..." Neji slowly got up, now facing her.

"Well..." he got closer, softly brushing her lips. "Will you make it feel better again?" 

♥


	4. I'll Protect You, Tenten chan!

Megumi: I do not own naruto, though that would make me even more magical!

Shino: For the last flippin' time-YOU ARE NOT MAGICAL!  
Megumi: pouts

Ino: Anyway, Warning of OOC Neji!

Megumi: . Becuase I'm magical like that!

Hinata: And…I u-usually st-stutter, but I gu-guess….

Ino: You're getting' better, Hina chan! hugs Hina

Shino: Will you get on with this?

Lee: Oh, I can't wait to see what the youthful author thinks up now!  
Megumi: Oh, thank you lee san! hugs lee youthfully I try

Lee: . 

Shino: pulls down projector screen with kanji "GO!" Get on with it!  
Megumi: pouts fine! Here it is:

"_**I'll Protect You!" **_

When Neji Tenten and Rock Lee were paired for the first time into their own team, they hardly got along.

Lee's Youth, Neji's stoic silence, and Tenten's Tomboyishness didn't exactly ...unite together, as Gai sensei had hoped. The three seemed separate, apart-all from other worlds.

Neji had a burning hatred for his family, believing that they murdered his father. The branches of the Hyuuga family--the fate of being treated lower than them all outraged him, but he kept all such emotions to himself. But if one looked closely into his clear eyes, there was pain and anger burning in them.

Rock Lee lived in rejection. That didn't stop him from pursuing his dream of being the best ninja he could be, though. His determination, however made him an annoyance to many, leaving him left alone most of the time...

Tenten was a mystery. No one knew anythign about her, really, since she didn't say much of anything. Her eyes fired with some other worldly passion, though-one that no one could fully understand. She stood out from other kunoichi, willing to cut off all ties with her femininity.

But over the years, common bonds were built, and they realized they were stuck with each other. "It is fate," as Neji put bluntly.

After all three became chonin, their painful pasts seemed to fall behind them. They were ready to move on. Hope shone before them-to improve and change. They could determine their own destiny.

And with that change, there was also a change of heart. One day when Tenten came back to their camp, disheartened, Neji and Lee got concerned. They wouldn't have before, but now-they really cared about Tenten.

"What's wrong, Tentenchan?" Lee began.

Tenten buried her face in her hands. How was she supposed to expalin this? They were her teammates; they deserved some sort of explanation. But...she had never really opened up to anyone, and especially with this--

You see, well--how do I say this? Tenten wasn't even sure what it was. She just suddenly felt some pain in her heart-something she had never felt before. It had started rescently; she remembered asking Hinata chan one day...

"HInata--I've been feelign...strange. And I thought you could help me, because it always happens aroudn your cousin..." she explained.

"Neji nii san?" Hinata asked shyly, yet surprised.

Tenten nodded. "You see...every time I see him, my brain--it stops! And It just started, because I used to spar with him with no big deal. But now-" she stopped, blushing. "It's like he's got a ...spell on me..." her finger traced the carpet. Hinata smiled knowingly.

"You...like Neji nii san" she said simply. Tenten rose her head surprised.

"What?!"

"It's taken you long enough to realize it!" Hinata smiled. "EVer since I met you, I had a feeling...that you liked Neji nii san!"

"But-"

Tenten still denied that it was love, but-what else could it be?

"Tenten chan," Neji asked, almost concerned to her surprise. She blushed at the sound of his voice. She could hear them step closer. No-she thought-please-

She felt Neji's warm hand on her shoulder.

"Is someone...messing with you?" Neji asked gravely.

?!? Tenten thought, her mind racing. What would make Neji think that. Lee also seemed surrpsied.

"Is it true, Tenten chan? Is someone messing with you?" Lee became almost scared for Tenten.

"No-" she tried to begin, but was cut off by Neji.

"If anyone tries anything on you, let us know. We'll protect you," Neji looked serious.

"That's right!" Lee gave a youthful punch in the air. "No one can touch the flower of our team and get away with it!"

"Are you saying I can't defend myself?" Tenten looked up, surprised at the sudden heroic nature that sprung up in the two guys.

"No-its just..." Lee began. "I don't want anything to happen to you, Tenten" neji ended, still concerned.

She blushed, still surprised at this change in them. A small smile sprung up on her lips. "Thank you..."

She thought for a moment- "If only you could protect me from this...feelign of love..." Tenten smiled as she looked at Neji, who turned vaguely red at her glance. "Thank you...Neji


	5. In Your Eyes

Tenten fell to the ground from another rough training session with the Hyuuga. Once again, she fell in defeat. The weapons' mistress just couldn't get past that byakugan---

Her eyes were shut tight, afraid to open them in defeat. But as she slowly opened them, she was surprised to see those misty clear eyes staring straight into hers-inches from her face. Her eyes bursted open wide, thinking ?!?!?!!?!?

"N-Neji?!" she asked hardly above a whisper. His face still held that usual stoic expression.

"Are you alright?" he asked in all seriousness, yet she could feel his breath against her face. She felt like she might faint right then.

"I--I'm-Fine, Neji. Thank you," she said, her eyes unable to blink.

He smirked. "Your eyes say everything. Tenten-you're a horrid liar." She blushed at the comment.

"Well..." she shrunk back, then returned to reality and shook her head fiercly. "What are you doing, Neji Hyuuga?!"

He pulled her up, quickly letting go, yet his burning touch lingered for minutes to come.

"And what do you mean-I'm a horrid liar?" she asked, frowning.

He shrugged casually. "Everything about you is obvious throuhg your eyes. You're...too emotional, Tenten."

She turned bright red. "Well-what if I am?" her voice rose.

His cold eyes stared back at her. She froze. Somehow, that gaze always stopped her heart. Curse you, Hyuuga--CURSE YOU! she thought, though she couldn't mean it.

Silence fell for a few moments, until Tenten had to ask. "So...what can you see in my eyes?" she jested.

His cheeks turned slightly red, his gaze down. "Alot,"

"Like?" Tenten prodded him on, tapping her finger in annoyance.

"..." Reluctantly, the Hyuuga spoke. "That you're not alright...that something within you is hurting..." Tenten looked at him with silent surprise.

"I-" she began, but he moved closer again, yet his expression remained the same.

"That there's somethign that you're trying to hide-" he looked at her seriously, almost as though he longed to know what it was that pained her heart so much.

"Wh-what would I want to hide?" Tenten asked suspiciously.

"I don't know," Neji looked off, to a nearby tree. Silence fell again.

"Well, I won't believe that you're emotionless yourself, Neji," Tenten turned her head to the side. He looked at her with slight surprise.

"Your eyes say a lot too," Tenten smirked. Neji seemed dumbfounded.

"What...do you think my eyes say?" Neji asked her.

"Well.." she smiled slightly. "That you've experienced lots of hurt-hurt that can't be easily healed..." Nejis surprise surfaced.

"But that there's something...something that you think will heal it...somethign you're searchinig for," Tenten studied his face for a few minutes.

Well, both were right. Both were hurting inside. Both sought hope--and both sought hope...in the same place.

"Well..." Neji's eyes narrowed. "what do you think that is?"

"I don't know," Tenten said casually, thoguh her eyes showed that she felt empty and confused, not knwoing.

The wind hit both of them strongly, but their eyes still met.

"You know...there's something else I see..." Neji muttered, and Tenten looked at him hopefully.

"Wh-what's that, Neji?" she asked as he stepped closer.

"Well, at least, I hope I see it," he said, and Tenten blushed.

"What do you-"

"That you love me as much as I love you," he muttered as their lips met. Both of them made it last as long as they could--pouring out emotion they would never dare outrightly give.

Once they parted, Tenten's eyes opened wide as she looked at teh Hyuuga. Did that just happen? she asked herself, her fingers tracing her ruby lips.

"Neji---I----" Her honey brown eyes blinked countless times, trying to focus on him.

His hand gently brushed an umber hair off her face. "Your eyes say it all," he replied, and they both knew there was no need for words. ♥


	6. What He Never Saw

Megumi: ENOUGH WITH THE NARUTONESS!  
Neji: It's like some horrid disease that clings to you

MegumI: grabs head GAHHH!!! INSPIRATION WONT LEAVE!!  
Tenten: entertained it's not that bad, is it?

Megumi: I HEAR VOICES IN MY HEAD!!!  
Tenten: That's us, dear.

MegumI: AHHH! runs into walls

Hinata: Aburame Megumi doesn't own Naruto. Heck, she really shouldn't even use the name Aburame, since its copyrighted!

MegumI: TOO BAD!! cackles insanely

Tenten: grabs neji by ear Let's leave her, dearest.

Neji: follows reluctantly, enjoying the misery

Hinata: stalks off, scared

**WHAT HE NEVER SAW!**

(because Neji's an idiot)

He never saw how everything she did was in hopes of him seeing her.

He never saw that glint of determination in her eye, everytime she sparred with him-her hope of just scratching his flesh.

He never saw how her kunai were always sharpened, and her shuriken always shining whenever she challenged him.

He never saw how his name rolled off her tongue so sweetly.

He never saw how she always spoke of him so highly.

He never saw how he was the only one she would spar with.

He never saw how her smile only was for him. She never opened up her emotions for anyone but him. In fact, everything was for him. She loved him. Yet, he never saw it.

She decided after a while to give it up; it wasn't worth it. Giving everything unrequited tore at her heart. So she closed it up, and let the numbness fill her.

But that's when he noticed. He noticed her beautiful smile was gone. He noticed her two buns of hair were ragged. He noticed that shimmer was lost from her eyes. He noticed her words were few, and his name didn't have that ring that she gave it those many years ago. He realized that everythign she used to do, he loved. But now that he noticed, it was too late.

Still, they sparred, they lived, they trained. She grew much faster without love getting in the way. He fell back, loving her more and more-until one day, his stoic appearance could hide it no longer.

It only took the words, "I love you Tenten" to break the shell she put around herself. It only took his soft kiss to remind her of the love and admiration she had felt for him. It only took his gentle touch for her to realize how painful it was to be calloused and numb.

Now that they saw, they would never forget


	7. Her Secret Passion

Megumi: Because Tenten has a secret obsession OTHER than Neji!  
Tenten: NANDISUTE?!

Megumi: Hai. Sore wa himitsu, ne? giggles

Tenten: GAHH!! hits Megumi upside head

Rock Lee: walks by, stops to see Megumi fly across sky, keeps walking

**Tenten's Secret**

Tenten had a secret. Though she tried to look all independent, feministic, and tough, she had an inner passion…for dolls. Yes. Dolls. She had taken time to make individual dolls for every ninja in Konoha. Yes. Every ninja in Konoha. She would RPG with them-and that was how she got her anger out.

Thus, there was a decapitated Naruto doll across the room, and a hardly discernable Rock Lee. Temari was pinned against a wall with a few kunai, and Sasuke was sprawled across the floor in countless pieces. In fact, none of the dolls were really---in one piece. The one of Gaisensei was no more than a green blob now. The only dolls that were in good condition were those of her…and Neji Hyuuga.

Yes, she even made one of Neji. She even made him do authentic moves, such as the Gentle fist and….uh whatever all his moves are called. She knows them all by heart.

Well, anyway, one day after sparring, Tenten snuck up to her room and began playing with her dolls. She didn't lock the door, knowing Neji and Lee had gone with Gai sensei for Ramen. She threw most of them against the wall as usual, smirking with glee.

"YES, NARUTO! THAT'S WHAT YOU GET FOR HURTING MY NEJI KUUUN!!!" She cried out as the orange clad doll bounced against the wall without his usual blond head. She even added a voice box that said "Believe it!" every time you hit him or threw him against a wall. She began to cackle insanely.

Next came Temari. She threw a kunai straight through the doll's body. "Aint so tough now, are you sand chick?!" Tenten shouted. She threw Lee and Gaisensei at the Temari doll. Next came Hinata, who she called pathetic for liking Uzimaki. Ino and Sakura were thrown against a Sasuke doll, who was mutilated in various ways. She let Megumi stay unharmed, but Kiba and her brother Shino were thrown against a wall for no particular reason. She called Chouji fat and threw a shuriken at him, and Shikamaru lazy, pinning him with the same shuriken. Tsudane got politely thrown out the window, due to Tenten's jealousy that she was the first female Hokage. That was what she had wanted. Jiraya got thrown in a conveniently placed fire, as she shouted "PERV!!!" Ha-this was fun!

She then looked to her Neji and Tenten dolls, and blushed. Bored, she began to make them kiss, saying "I love you Neji!" "I love you too, Tenten!" She continued this for a few minutes, until she heard the door creak open.

"…Tenten?!" She felt the Hyuuga eyes staring down at her. Well, though Neji didn't really show emotion, she could tell he was disturbed and surprised. Who wouldn't, seeing mutilated dolsl of everyone in Konoha, and one of him kissing---hers? Ignoring all that—Tenten liked dolls?!

Tenten's umber eyes grew huge. Well-this was unexpected. "ETO----ANO----" she began lamely, dropping the two dolls. Neji still stared at her blankly.

"I'm…not going to ask, " he concluded, deciding that he had just dreamed all of this, swiftly leaving the room, his dark ponytail following. Tenten stared blankly, then realized that her pant leg caught on fire, so she rolled around, trying to put it out O.o


	8. May the Youth Be With You!

_Megumi: So, I was bored in Chemistry_

_Hinata: nods_

_Megumi: So I randomly saw Lee tell Neji "Use the Youth, Neji!" _

_Hinata: nods_

_Megumi: And so I started thinking "STAR WARS!" like---"USE THE FORCE" except---with YOUTH!  
Hinata: nods, puzzled_

_MegumI: Which , note bene-Do not own Naruto. Do not own Star Wars. I'd hope you'd be smart enough to get that anyway_

_HInata: Well, I guess people just see the reference and they think-_

_Megumi: Its still….weird.._

_Hinata: nods reluctantly_

_MegumI: But no matter! I like saying it anyway!_

_Hinata: giggles Neji wan Shinobi! I should call him that!  
Neji: You shall not. _

_Hinata: Oh, Neji nii san! hugs cousin_

_Neji: twitches_

_MegumI: giggles and runs away to write story with her unofficial nii-san, Rock Lee!_

**Aburame Megumi and Rock Lee Bring on the Youthfulness!**

Rock lee watches as his not so youthful teammates Neji and Tenten spar. He sighs. "I've never seen such a lack of youth! It's quite depressing, really. Can't they do anything but spar?" he asked as though he were looking upon some snogging couple for several hours straight.

All of a sudden, Aburame Megumi magically appeared behind lee! "I concent!" she replied enthusiastically .

Lee jumped in surprise. "Oh-Megumi nee chan!" Megumi waved youthfully. "Well, what brings you here?" he asked.

She pouted, watching the intense NejiTen spar. "I think we need to bring back Neji no baka and Tenten chan's youth!!"

Lee did his signature YOSH! Sign. "I like it!"

Later, Lee and Megumi magically climbed up a tree, keeping a keen eye on Neji and Tenten's continuing spar.

Megumi sighed. "You'd think they'd get bored…"

Lee twitched in annoyance. "Es tut mir Leid…" he began randomly speaking in German german exchange students just came-don't blame me! "Sehen kein jungen…" (it pains me to see such a loss of youth…)

In the foreground, Neji hit Tenten with a direct blow, making her fall against a tree, knocked out. He smirked in victory of winning.

Lee's jaw dropped. "How unyouthful and ungentlemanly of Neji!"

Megumi glared at the dot below that was Neji through the foliage. "NEJI YOU BAKA!!! HELP HER UP AND KISS HER!!!" she shouted until Rock Lee covered her mouth and pulled her away. Neji looked up, twitched at the reminder of Rock Lee and Maito Gai, then shrugged and went back to his "victory dance".

Lee whispered harshly, "Megumi nee chan-we can't blow our cover! We must _subliminally_ tell him!" He grabbed a magical voice changer, giving him a deep Darth Vader voice. "USE THE YOUTH, NEJI WON SHINOBI!!!!!! You're Tenten's only hope! daddooo ding! May the youth be with you!!!" Megumi grabbed it from him and added. "I am your father!!!"

Neji began to freak out, first with the mention of youth. Then, remembering that his father was **dead,** and courtesy of his uncle Hiashi, he began shouting "CURSE YOU HIASHI!!!! CURSE YOU!!!!" Tenten groggily got up, looking around confused.

"Wha--?" Tenten asked. Neji looked at her for a moment. Seeing the resemblance to Princess Laea, he began to shake his head, thinking he was in some alternate dimention Star Wars World! star wars theme song plays He began using his gentle fist technique against the tree. "Neji kun…why is the tree talking?" Tenten asked politely.

Neji replied out of character, "ITS AN EVIL MOKU!!! EVIL!!!"

Question marks appeared above Tenten's head. "Um…Neji kun? Are you ok? Did you suffer from some concussion?"

"IM FINE!!!" neji growled, startling Tenten.

"That is not the way of the Jedi, Neji won Shinobi!!!!" Lee replied in the deep Darth Vader Voice. "Help Tenten up!"

"?!?! I'm NOT A JEDI!!!" Neji pulled his hair.

"HELP HER UP ANYWAY, BAKA!" Megumi replied, still in the DV voice.

Neji, deciding that he had hit insanity, went to help Tenten up. Tenten blushed for 10 or so minutes straight, which made neji blush, which made Megumi and Rock Lee shout from the tree above "YOUTH!!!"

Then it finally hit Neji who it was. Well, and Tenten too. "ROCK LEE!" they both shouted angrily. Megumi and Rock Lee fell from the tree with a thud. Tenten glared at her friend, and Neji glared at his annoying teammate.

"Megu-chan, you stalker!" Tenten said jokingly.

'But its so booring to watch you two spar!" Megumi whined. "Can't you two do something interesting….like confess undying love for each other?

O.o Neji and Tenten had blank looks. "Uh…….." There came the blush.

"I KNEW IT! I KNEW IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE FOR TWO TO BE SUCH VOIDS OF UNYOUTHFULNESS! So you do love each other!" Rock Lee did his Yosh thing. AGAIN.

"So…what was with all the Star Wars Parodies?" Neji asked at random.

"….BECAUSE WE CAN!" Megumi did her "magic poof" hand sign. Neji glared disinterestedly.

Rock Lee watched Megumi, puzzled. "So—what happens next in our youthful plan, nee chan?"

Megumi watched blankly. She blinked. "I have…no idea…"

"This is why you're pathetic,…" her _official_ nii san, Shino said as he walked by the training grounds.

Tenten yawned. "I think I'm sleep deprived. I'm seeing Aburames. Good night!" she muttered as she walked away. Neji chased after her.

"Our work here is done!" Megumi smiled as she stretched her arms.

Rock Lee nodded. "Now if only the youthful Sakura chan-"

"She's our next project!" Megumi smirked evilly. "Because my unofficial nii san should be with his eternal love—as I hope that someone will help me hook up with…K-kiba kun…." She blushed as her voice fell into an inaudible mutter.

Close Enough To NejiTen Fluff For Me!


	9. Pet Store

So, team gai went to the mall. Why? Neji had an attachement to those flippin' plush monkeys, Tenten had a secret girly obsession with malls, and rock Lee needed a gift for his precious Sakura chan. nods

They happened to pass the PET STORE!!! dramatic music Tenten's honey eyes spotted an adorable little puppy.

"AW! KAWAII!!" She squealed. Neji twitched at Tetnen's sudden girlyness.

"Pets! YOUTH! I can get Sakura a pet!" Rock Lee suddenly decided, doing his YOSH! thing. "LEt's go to the magical pet store! Of hope and wonder!" So of course, Neji was dragged in, his heels scraping into the tile.

Tenten aimlessly wandered around, dragging Neji with her. Rock Lee made this like an S rank mission-examining each animal with care. "May I help you?" Lee turned his head , surprised to see none other than Sakura chan! HIS Sakura chan!

"S-sakura chan?" Lee's heart drooped tao his suprise. "You ---work here?" she nodded brightly, her strawberry hair bobbing.

"So why are you here, Lee kun?" she asked sweetly.

"Oh--no reason," Lee covered up. "Neji and Tenten wanted to-look at the pets."

"Neji--and Tenten?" Sakura blinked, then smiled. "So, they're at long last hooking up?"

"?!?!"

"I've seen that they've liked each other for a while..." she smiled lightly. "I'm suprised you haven't noticed!"

"I---" Rock Lee began, but then noticed somethign implode on the other side of the store.

Neji was wondering why the heck he was in this pet store, and why Tenten was dragging him around it. He was suprised at how nice her touch was...but he shook it off quickly. He was a Hyuuga! Hyuugas dont get all emotional! Well, except Hinata , but she was jsut...Hinata. Woah-off topic!

"Tenten-what are you doing?" Neji asked at long last.

Tenten didn't respond right away, until she stopped right in front of the dog kennels. "There!" she said with a pointed finger, pointing at an adorable golden retriever.

"...O.O" Neji looked at her blankly.

"Kawaii desu, ne?"

"...O.O Ten---ten?"

"You can't deny it, Nejikun!"

"...Are you----feeling ok, Tenten?"

She looked at him puzzled. "Of course! I just love dogs!"

Neji jumped back. "YOU'VE BEEN OUT WITH INUZUKA, HAVENT YOU?!"!

Tenten giggled cutely. "Ignoring that Megumi chan would figuratively MURDER me if I did...NO,"

"Well then-"

"I just love dogs!"

"O.o"

"They're faithful, friendly, cute, loyal, smart-"

"..." Neji smirked.

"?"

"Oh-Nothing!!!!" Neji covered up OOC. As he turned his head, he noticed his head was right next to a black metal cage. He heard a chirp, and saw a sky blue bird flutter around. That melted his heart rather quickly. "NO!" he cried passionately. "You can't be locked up! I shall free this poor bird from its cage!" he undid the latch on impulse, letting the bird fly around the store.

"Neji?! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!" Tenten shouted.

"These birds! They're trapped! Like----birds! In a cage!" A sweatdrop fell down TEnten's head. "Me, being int he branch family of the Hyuugas, I know what its like-to be trapped by DESTINY!!!!!!!!!" he said dramatically.

"Neji. They're just---birds," Tenten said stoically, yet she coudln't hide her pity for the cute puppy trapped...Birds began to nest in her hair...

"Theyre not. Just. Birdss." Neji's stoic ways returned. "They. are. part. of me." Tenten stared blankly. Suddenly, a worker there (who happened to be Shino) shouted, "STAND CLEAR!" He took a giant electric butterfly net thing and began sweeping up the birds.

"?!?!" Tenten screamed when he threw it over her head to get the birds in her hair, accidently electricuting her.

"TENTEN!" Neji cried OOC.

"MY YOUTHFUL TEAMMATES!" Rock Lee cried, running over with Sakura to see what happened. Tenten's hair was stickign straight up.

"GOMEN NASAI!!!!" Shino cried OOC megumi: HAHAHA!!!. "GOMEN!!!!"

"ITs fine...Shino san..." Tenten shook it off. Teh golden retreiver ran up to her and licked her cheek. "How-" but then she saw Kiba Inuzuka smirking.

"I KNEW IT!" Neji cried, pointing an incriminating finger at Kiba.

"?! I...work here," Kiba explained, showing off his red "PetsMart" apron megumi: Oh yah! "And...I let the dogs loose when there's utter pandemonium. And with Shino working here, there's a lot of that..."

"WHAT?!!!!!!" Shino glared through his dark glasses. "I'll have you know-"

"Nii san, you still have that stupid electric/chakra net?" Megumi, his neechan appeared behind him.

"M-Megumi?!"! Shino jumped. "What are you doing here, boku?!"

"I came to see that husky again!" she smiled cutely.

"Here!" Kiba handed her an utterly adorable puppy husky. It licked her cheek sweetly.

"Thanks, Kiba kun!" Megumi blushed, taking the puppy.

"..." Tenten stared blankly. Neji secretly took out the sky blue bird, petting it in his hand.

"UNHAND TEH BIRD!!!" Shino glared at Neji. Neji sighed and put the bird back in.

"So-did you find anythign Lee?" Tenten asked.

"---Nope," Lee's head drooped.

"Maybe I can help, Lee kun!" Sakura smiled warmly. Lee flailed.

ANd so...yah, I guess tat's the end sweatdrop


	10. A Flower Is All That I Ask For

**Megumi: Thank you Anagram RMX for your suggestions!!! . **

Valentine's day was approaching, and Tenten began to act curiously. One day after training, Rock Lee confronted her.

"Tenten chan-what's wrong?"

She sulked against a tree, trying to act strong. "Nothing, Lee. Nothing,"

Rock Lee smirked in an unrockleeish way. "Its about Valentine's day, is it not?"

Tenten's eyes grew wide quickly. "What would make you-"

Rock lee smiled. "Youthful love is easy to see!"

Tenten blushed brightly. "Its not like that, really. I'm not that way..."

"So who is the lucky man?" Rock Lee grinned.

Tenten rubbed her arm, her eyes turnign to a tree. "It's no one-"

"Oh, Tenten chan! You can't deny that your flower has blossomed, and you have youthful affections for someone!"

She gave him a soft glare. "Maybe not, but I don't have to tell you who," she began to walk away.

"Please, Tenten chan!" Rock Lee melted to the ground. Now that was more RockLeeish.

"No,"

"Please!"

"No,"

"I'll have to start guessing then!"

Tenten froze, slowly turning to face Rock Lee. "DON'T YOU--"

"Is it Sasuke san?"

"Stop, Lee."

"Naruto kun?"

"STOP, LEE."

"Shino san?"

"STOP IT LEE!!" Tenten shouted at the top of her lungs.

Rock Lee frowned. "Youre no fun, Tenten chan,"

Her eye brows furrowed. "Who said I was?"

A light bulb lit up above Lee's head. "I know! It's Neji san, is it not?"

Her face grew bright red. BINGO. "W-what? N-neji san? No!"

"You can't deny it, Tenten chan!"

"Yes I can!"

"No you can't!'

"YES I CAN!"

"You're in denial, Tenten chan."

She fell to the ground defeated. "Ok, fine. Don't tell a soul," her eyes glared red. "OR I WILL DICE YOU AND THEN KILL YOU." Rock Lee gulped at Tenten's unyouthful threat.

He quickly regained composure as he did a yosh! thing. "You wanted Neji to give you a Valentine then?"

She frowned. "Maybe...but he never would. He's not like that." she laughed sadly. "I doubt he even knows that its Valentines' Day..."

"True, Neji is not very youthful..." Lee mused. He twitched. "Scratch that. He has no youth," he said, recalling countless fights with his stoic teammate. He did his YOSH! thing again. "But I shall remind him!"

Tenten's soft brown eyes looked up. "Wha-?"

"Anythign for the flower of the team!" Rock Lee winked. Inner Tenten gagged. "But-" he regained almost...normal composure. "What is it that you want, Tenten?"

"What do you mean?"

"What kind of Valentine did you want?"

She paused for a moemnt, never having really thought that far. She would be amazed if Neji got her _anythign. _She blushed, then replied. "I guess...a flower,"

Rock Lee's eye brows went up. "Just A--flower? That's it? Not even a bouquet? No chocolates or plushes or cards or-"

"Nope," Tenten smiled sweetly. "Just a flower!" she giggled. "If you can even get him to give me that, I will be-" she blushed, noticing that Rock Lee was beaming.

"HOW YOUTHFUL, TENTEN CHAN!!" she felt him hugging her.

_Eww...Rock Lee germs..._she thought to herself, but decided to shake it off. He was goign to try and help her, after all. "Thanks, Lee," she smiled.

II.

Later that week, Neji and Rock Lee were going to train. Well, this was uncommon, but Rock Lee finally convinced Neji that Tenten was sick and that they were not goign to help her recover, but rather, train. That was what she would want, after all. Neji reluctantly complied.

After a good sparring session, Rock Lee spontaneously began, "So Neji-are you prepared for the approaching Valentines Day?"

"?!" Neji was caught off guard with that question. To put it bluntly, he had been playing in his mind ideas of how to impress Tenten this V-day. a clip of Neji cooly handing Tenten an overflowing bouquet of flowers. She hugs him and kisses his cheek. _Score.._ Neji mutters. But it was just a dream...He wasn't good at...romance and whatever. So, it would probably be another lonely valentines day for him. vv

"Isn't there a youthful girl that you wish to be your valentine?" Rock Lee presssed on further.

"No," Neji lied smoothly. "Do I look like the romantic type?"

"NO, but I know that deep down, you have youthful passions for a certain girl..." Rock Lee invented.

Neji's eyes practically popped out of his head. HOw did Rock Lee know-"What are you talking about, Lee?"

"You can tell me,"

"Why would I?"

"HA!" Rock Lee pointed a finger at Neji's chest. "SO YOU _DO_ HAVE YOUTHFUL AFFECTIONS!"

Neji froze and fell to the ground. "What does it matter to you?" he refuted once he regained his composure.

"Because I believe that Tenten does not have anyone else that she'd rather receive a Valentine from,"

_Wow, Lee's good-_ Neji thought to himself. _THis is kinda...creepy._ "What makes you say its Tenten?"

"Would you like me to list out the evidence?" With a nod of concent from Neji, Lee began. "You don't spar with anyone else, she's the only girl you'll talk to, whenever anyone says anythign with the syllable 'Ten' in it, you instantly raise your head, you watch her for excessive periods of time-"

"Ok, I get the point," Neji glared. _Note Bene: Learn to be less conspicuous..._ Neji mused.

"Anyway, what are you goign to get her?" Rock Lee continued.

Neji's eyes grew wide. "What?!"

"A Valentine-"

THe clip of him giving her flowers, and her kissing him on the cheek kept on reeling trhough his mind..._Will you stop?! _Neji shouted to himself. "What do you get girls?"

"A FLOWER!" Rock Lee replied quickly.

"..." Neji replied as he walked away.

III.

This was the first time in recorded history that Neji stepped foot into the Yamanaka flower shop.

Ino was suprirsed to see the meanie that denied her beauty walk into her shop. "Neji?!"

He froze. He didn't realize...Ino of all people ran this shop. "...blame Lee."

"?!"

"He told me to come and buy a flower,"

Ino' s mind replayed the similar scenes of Lee coming in to buy flowers for his "beloved Sakura chan". She rolled her eyes, "Sure,"

"WEll," Neji's face grew red. "He did,"

"You're getting flowers for a girl," Ino predicted stoically.

"?!?"

Ino sighed, flipping her white blonde hair. "I was going to let you admit it, but since you're so stubborn-"

"?!"

"You came here for Tenten"

_HOw does everyone know?!?_ Neji wondered as he fell backwards. "How-"

Ino grinned and winked. "I'm a Yamanaka! I know these things!"

Neji quickly regained composure. "Well, now that you've said it-yes,"

Ino smiled. "So did you want a bouquet?" He nodded. "So tell me then-what do you think about Tenten?"

"?!"

SHe frowned. This was what guys always said. "I have to know what qualities you see in her if I'm gonna make a bouquet. Each flower signifies somethign," she played with a daffodil.

Neji glared. "You're not my therapist."

Ino restrained a giggle. "_YOU _have a therapist?!" she managed to blurt out.

Neji's mind reeled back to him and HInata in her room, him crying OOC about how Tenten would never like him since he was so serious. Hinata tried to reassure him that that wasn't true, though she had to wonder who could like Neji nii san...sweat drop . He nodded embarrased.

"That's good," Ino sighed, thinking of all her emotional problems. Shika said it was too torublesome to listen to her, and Chouji was constantly eating, not giving her attention...but anywya. "Come on, just tell me something," 

Neji glared, but gave in. "Well... I think she's really beautiful, and she's a reliable person. She's strong in her abilities and she's passionate about what she does.." he continued on, Ino nodding as she looked at the various flowers, trying to pick the best ones.

Meanwhile, Tenten was walking by, and couldn't help but stop at the sound of Neji's voice. Surprised, she drew closer to see him in Ino's shop.

"...and I guess she's just about perfect in every way," he concluded, though funnily, still in his stoic voice. Ino nodded with a smile.

Tenten's eyes opened wide. "What-he likes someone?" her heart froze. She had never thought this would be possible-for him to like anyone, really. Hearing what he had said, she instantly decided it couldn't be her. All neji had ever done was tell her to improve and that she was weak. But this girl-he praised her unlike any other. Her heart sank , being ripped to shreads. Nothing mattered anymore.

Trying to get away from this sudden emotion that gripped her, she ran as far and as fast as she possibly could. Tears stained her cheeks, but she didn't care. As long as Neji didn't see nad call her weak.

* * *

"There!" Ino said in victory, finding the perfect flower.  
"A-rose?" Neji said anti-climactically. "It took you this long just to say taht I should get her a rose?"

Ino pouted. "You did say she just wanted ONE flower?"

He nodded. "That's what Rock Lee said."

"Strange..." Ino mused, fingering the thorny flower in her hand. "But the rose says just about everythign... as one poet put it, 'You are just as a rose; strong and independant are your thorns, yet beautiful and gentle are your petals,'" she sighed, musing of some handsome young shinobi saying such a thing to her.

Apparently, Neji did not care about any of that. As long as he found the right thing to give Tentent. "So-she'll liek it?"

"Of course!" Ino smiled warmly, handing him teh red rose. "Just-tell her how you feel!"

His eyes narrowed, annoyed. "Tell-her how I feel?!"

Ino nodded strongly. "Us girls like that."

"..."

"Well its true, lover boy!" Ino glared. "Chicks don't liek it when you say 'YOu're weak. Go train,"

Guilt trip for Hyuuga! His mind flashed back, with teh happy flashback music, of countless times he had said to Tenten , "You're weak. Go train." or "Get serious," or somethign along those lines. He didn't feel liek a prodigy now.

Realizing she hit a soft spot, she frowned sadly. "Gomen-Neji,"

Neji shook it off, pulling out some money for the rose. "Its fine--Thanks, Ino," he said as he walked out, wonderin gwhere Tnetne was.

* * *

Tneten eventually wandered to her typical training spot with Neji. Now, it was empty and she couldn't have been more glad. There, she let her heart burst and her sobs ring out. Why did it hurt so much-knowing Neji loved someone else? Was it because it wasn't her who melted his ice cold heart? She wasn't sure, but now, she would have rather been stabbed in teh heart by a kunai than the knowledge of her unrequited love.

Her fingers brushed over a log next to her. "Just a flower...is all I wish for..." she sighed, knowing she would get no Valentine's Day flower.

"That's it?" a voice came up from behind her. Startled, she jumped up, reaching for a shuriken. But when she saw the hyuuga eyes meeting hers, she quickly dropped it embarrased.

"G-gomen nasai, Neji san," she said, red reaching her cheeks. _Did he just hear that-_ she wondered, unable to meet his pearly eyes. But ot her surpirse, he pulled out a single, perfect red rose. Her eyes grew wide. "N-neji?" she asked, hardly above a whisper.

"Here," he handed it to her, wondering whta the heck to do. He was far from being a romantisist. "Happy Valentines Day, Tenten chan,"

O//////O Her hand slowly reached out and grabbed teh stem, unable to speak. Her smile grew, pulling at the corners fo her mouth. "Wow-thank you, Neji," she held the flower close to her face, smelling its strong scent.

That smile...Neji couldn't help but watch her, taking in everything about her. She soon noticed, looking up at him surprised. He quickly turned red (OOCness!!!!!), tryign to figure out what to do. So, Impulse led him! YEA!!!!! O.o Before Tenten knew what was happening, she felt his lips press against hers. Suprirsed yet overjoyed, Tenten wrapped her arms around his neck, enjoying the moment. It wasn't every day that Neji opened up liek that . 

"I love you, Tenten," he said, hardly above a whisper, as they broke apart.

Tenten looked up at him with her honey eyes, still amazed by all of this. "H-honto ni?" she asked. He nodded.

**MegumI: Wow, that ending was so cheezy. Oh well.**


	11. I Love My Youth! slight nejiten

_Parody on the "I love my lips" silly song from Veggie tales!_  
**Lee:** If my youth ever left my heart  
I'd be sad and torn apart  
It'd be too bad..

**Tenten**: Too bad...

**Lee:** I'd be so sad...

**Gaisensei:** cries over hypothetical loss of youth

**Lee:** If my youth said "Adios!"  
I hate your hair  
I think you're gross  
I'd get real mad-  
I'd call my dad!

**Neji:** You don't----have a dad. **Lee:** I'D CALL GAI SENSEI THEN!!!**Neji: **twitch

**Lee: **coughs Anyway, If my youth moved to Duluth-

**Tenten**: Duluth?! Where-

**Lee:** Left a mess, took my jumpsuit

**Neji:** interrupts I'd pay it well-

**Tenten:** That would be swell! _megumi: ...swell?!_

**Lee:** RAWR!!! coughs as next verse starts Oh that day-my youth was great!

**Gaisensei**: I remember that day like it was yesterday---muses

**Lee:** I had to kiss Aunt Tsudane-

**Neji:** ?!?!?!?!?!?!

**Tenten**: falls backwards

**Lee;** reads lines Uh...she never had a beard...

**Jiraya**: I WOULD HOPE NOT!!!

**Lee:** That would be just weird...

**Neji**: twitches What did I do to deserve such a fate...?!

**Lee**: muses to self I tried to pretend it was Sakura chan

but that didn't really work well-Oh! Next verse!

Once I became a genin

My eyebrows got in a drain...thing

My friends all laughed

**Neji:** You had...friends?!

**Lee;** YOU MEANIE!!! And I just stood there 'till the ANBU came and broke the bar with a chainsaw and I had to spend the next 10 weeks in the emotional rehad with this guy name shino _megumi: NII SAN!_ who got stung by a kamizuru bee right on the eyebrow and we couldn't even talk well becuase shino doesnt really talk in general-

**Tenten**: LEE JUST SHUT UP!!!

silence

looks at clipboard So---Lee. The laughing, the bearded Tsudane, the insecurity in your youth---how does this all make you feel?

**Lee:** ponders ...it makes me feel...so FULL OF YOUTH!!!!

**Gaisensei**: YOSH!! That's the spirit, Lee!

**Lee:** Because I lvoe my youth!

**Gaisensei:** YOUTH!

**Neji**: twitch Let's go, Tenten

**Tenten:** nods and walks away with Neji


	12. Wedding!

MeguMI: Another one I need help on!

Shino: Oh crap...

MegumI: Ha! I've had this idea floating on storywrite for a while, but no ending ! help me! PLEASE REVIEW!!!

* * *

Well, Neji had to marry someone. It was Hiashi's orders. Since when had he actually listened to his half-brained uncle? That didn't matter. The point was-Neji had to marry someone.

Now, who he would marry was another matter. Neji had no interest in girls. Plus, he was 18. He didn't want to think about marriage and all that now. But Hiashi said that it was his "duty as a Hyuuga". Ignoring that, "Dad would have wanted you to," Why?! WHY???? How could his uncle be so low as to use that againist him?

Hinata thought it was great; she was hoping he would find a girl to soften his ice cube heart. If taht was possible, that is.

Neji began to list every girl he knew. Haruno Sakura...ignoring that Uchiha or Lee or BOTH would rip him to shreds if he did as much as talk to her, he had no interest in her...type. She was too...feminine. He shuttered. Oh what a fate he had! Next was her friend Yamanaka Ino. His mind flashed back tot he second test of the exam, where she...flirted with him. Him-the neji hyuuga. No. That was just...ugh. He wasnt' going to think about that. Of course Hinata was out of the question. Incest BAD!!!! OZa...well, he really dind't know her. And she was always with Shikamaru...he'd rather not...go between that. Yuuki had guts...no. No. There was that Uchiha girl Aya...she was strong. No, she was too young. Megumi? Oh, the creepy girl with Inuzuka. She was always hitting him over the head calling him Baka. No... NO...Rekusshi? He hardly knew the girl. That only left his sparring partner Tenten.

He mused over that for a moment. She was the only girl he tolerated. Well, more than taht. He actually enjoyed her company. Yes...the more he thought of it, her listed many things he liked about Tenten without realizing it. He liked her smile, her hair, her eyes, her determination, her strength, her aim--if he had to get married, well, Tenten wasn't half bad. No-she was perfect.

It was too bad that Tenten had absolutely no idea this was going on. Since she didn't have any family, no one was forcing her to get married. And to be honest, she didn't really want to get married. In her mind, every shinobi in this village was...pathetic. Every girl chased after Sasuke, but she saw nothign remotely interesting in him. The others were either caught up in pride of their own abilities or just...UGH Well, there was always her sparring partner neji...he wasn't that bad, really. In fact, rescently, she began to wonder if he was just her sparring partner...

She tried to shake it off. At heart, Tenten was independent. Nothign could get in her way of being the best kunoichi she could be. Not even...love should get in between...

Tenten was walking through Konoha for no particular reason. She didn't have a mission, Rock Lee wasn't stalking her and filling her mind with "youth" crap, Gai sensei wasn't doing likewise, and Neji hadn't asked her to spar. Thus, she had absolutely nothign to do. "Wow I have no life," Tenten muttered to herself.

"Ohayo, Tenten chan-" The timid voice of Hinata Hyuuga reached her ears.

"Oh, Hinata chan! Ohayo!" Tenten greeted back.

"Ano---have you seen Neji nii san?" Hinata asked her, a bit concerned.

Tenten's eyebrows went up. "Well...he didn't ask me to spar with him today, which I guess is kind of odd, but still-no, I haven't" she realized she was off the question. HInata's face grew concerned.

"Is--he not at the Hyuuga mansion?" she tilted her head confused.

Hinata shook her head. "N-no. I don't know where he could have gone."

Tenten shrugged with a smile. "I'm sure he'll turn up somewhere." HInata seemed relieved and nodded.

"Well, arigato, Tenten chan!" hinata smiled and fell into a crowd of people on the street.

So tenten continued to walk. She was beginning to wonder lots of things, such as why she was walking. How she got here-why she was a ninja. Why she always wore her hair in these bun things. Then her mind actually went to ask a useful question---where the crap is Neji Hyuuga?

Well, that was answered quickly, considering that she ran into the Hyuuga prodigy. That didn't happen everyday. Her face grew red as she felt his chest against her cheek. Both of them quickly pulled away. Tenten shook off the esctacy of the moment. "Neji-where have you been? Hinata was worried!" she frowned.

So what was Neji to say? "Oh, I've been with Hiashi, planning my wedding. That reminds me, do you wanna get married?" no. Anythign but that. That did bring up a curious question. What was he supposed to tell her. "I've decided to marry you." O.o

"Well-" Neji began, faltering for the first time in his life.

"Well?" Tenten's curved eyebrow shot up suspiciously.

"I had to talk to Hiashi sama about something," there. True, yet concise. He liked it. That is, until she replied;

"About what?" Neji almost fell backwards. CRAP.

"None of your business," he lied. How could it NOT be her business? It was all about her really. But as though he was goign to admit that now.

"Why you-" she pouted.

He had to restrain a laugh. _Tenten was so cute when she pouted_----WOAH. Where'd that come from?! Inner neji asked. He coughed.

Tenten still glared into those eyes-those Hyuuga eyes she loved so much. O.o "I thought you could tell me things like this..." she said softly to herself, not realising she said it aloud.

"?" Neji looked at her curiously.

Her face grew red. "N-nothing!" she almost fell backwards. Stupid tenten! Baka!

"I've got somethign I have to do. See you later, Tenten," he muttered, walkign off into the distance. Tenten watched, surprised. Since when had Neji been so busy?

_That was close..._ neji muttered to himself. _What was taht that Tenten siad-_ he began to muse, until he found himself in front of the Hyuuga complex. Inside, Hiashi was waiting for him.

"Did you ask her?" he asked stoically. So much for "Hey, nephew! How was your day?"

Neji shuttered. "Well-"

Hiashi grew more strict. "You mean you haven't even asked her to marry you?"

"How was I supposed to?"

Hiashi sighed. "YOu know nothign about the ways of women, do you?" Neji shook his head. Moving fast, Hiashi found his daughter HInata and dragged her in. Pushing hte two into the living room, he said. "Hinata-teach your cousin about--whatever it is you girls like sweatdrop"

"Um--o-okay," HInata muttered relucantly. Poking her fingers together, she asked. "So N-neji---what do you need help with?"

Silence flooded the room. After a while, Neji replied solemnly. "I need to propose to Tenten,"

GONG

"T-tenten chan?" HInata asked surrpised.

Neji nodded. "WHAT DO I DO?!" he cried, letting his OOC emotionalness get teh best of him.

"Well-y-you can brign her to a nice restauraunt or somethign and ask her there," HInata suggested, trying to imagine how she had dreamed Naruto would propose to her. "I'm sure that whatever you'll do, she'll be happy and say yes!" she grinned timidly.

Neji didn't seem convinced. "..."

O.O "N-neji?"

Suddenly, an idea hit Neji. "ITS PERFECT!" he dashed out, ready to begin scheming...

* * *


	13. Too Sexy!

Megumi: Sorry for not updating. So busy on my novel-but I got inspired. It was from this show making fun of Antonio Banderez O.O They had his own little Mexican band with him, that every time he'd unbutton a button on his shirt (like, the top button), they would cry "NOO! TOO SEXY! TOO SEXY!!!" and it made me crack up. I saw Tenten doing that. Oh, and READ "A ROOM WITH A VIEW". I COMMAND YOU TO. Its classical literature, but there are SO MANY NARUTO ANALOGIES! First, George is always like "It is my destiny". And then-the author uses the word "YOUTH" like every 5 seconds. Freddy is like Naruto, and just-Ohmigosh, it made my day! O O I will shut it now.

**Too Sexy!!!! NooOoOoOooOoO!!!!!**

Inner Tenten watched as Neji took a sip of water in the break of their training. _Why is he so handsome…_ she mused, and she couldn't help it. Ignoring that she had always admired the Hyuuga, hormones kicking in at the ripe age of 16 did not help towards pushing him out of her thoughts. Now, his Byakugan and fighting ability was not the only thing that impressed her…

He seemed to always notice when she was watching him. He looked up quickly, his clear eyes watching her suspiciously."Tenten?" he asked.

Her face flushed bright red. How could she deny that deep, handsome voice? _But a ninja must never show emotion_-she repeated to herself. _No emotion-_

"TENTEN," he repeated, loud yet still in his stoic air.

She jumped and grinned sheepishly. "G-gomen, Neji san. I just-dozed out for a moment,"

"Hn," he grunted, as was his trademark. Even that had been added onto Tenten's "Things I love about Hyuuga Neji" list.

_No-must-stay emotionless-_ Tenten repeated like a Gregorian chant. _Must stay-_she stopped, frozen at what Neji was doing.

The Hyuuga Neji was taking his shirt off! Of course, Tenten, not able to think logically of "well duh-we've been sparring for 3 hours in August heat! Of course he's hot and needs to take his shirt off-", began thinking "SO HAWT SO HAWT SO HAWT!" Was that a bit of drool that escaped her lips?

He stopped, and turned his head to note that Tenten was giving him a look he had never seen her give him before. In one sense, he liked it. In another, it greatly troubled him. "…Tenten? Are you feeling well today?"

She snapped up. _He's talking! He's talking to ME!_ "Oh-ano-I think I'm ok…"

He walked towards her in concern. "You sure?" he said stoically, yet a hint of concern could be detected.

_He's walking towards me! OMW! OMW! _

She nearly fainted when he put his hand on her forehead. Her blush compared to the Hyuuga heiress'. "Perhaps we should stop for today-" he put forth.

"No!" she cried, a little to loudly. For the first time in his life, he jumped a bit and his eyes widened. "I'm ok, really," she said more quietly.

""Whatever you say," Neji replied, going back and…taking his shirt off again (ok, it didn't actually get off the first time. … His hair, I guess O.O)

"Too sexy!" Tenten squealed out of her control, causing her to slam her hands over her mouth and tackle herself to the ground.

Not processing that fully, Neji replied "But I must,", of course thinking about how hot it was outside. Simply, with that dramatic note, there stood a shirtless Neji. "Now, let's spar-" he began, not thinking until it just hit him what Tenten said (teh-some prodigy,) "…Nani?!??!"

Of course, Tenten was still on the ground, in a futile attempt to strangle herself from letting such feminine outbursts come forth from her again. "BAKA!" Inner Tenten rawred. "How could you, a nin yourself, do that?!" "Its an accident…" Tenten whimpered, accidentally out loud.

So, that was how Neji found her when he walked over. She was on the ground, arm around her stomach, hand around neck, whimpering, "Its not my fault…Its not my fault…He's too hot….."

"…" he looked down in disbelief. So this is what had become of the weapons' Mistress. "No more sparring for you," he muttered as he gently picked her up and carried her home. Well, he had to carry her due to the fact that she fainted when she saw him suddenly up against her face. There was only so much of the all gorgeous and handsome Hyuuga Neji that she could handle.


	14. Feed the Birds

Megumi loved that Mary Poppins song "Feed the Birds". ONe day, sprawled across her futon, listenign to the soundtrack, she instantly thought of a certain Hyuuga, and bursted into laughter.

Neji: Feed the birds

Tuppits a bag

Tuppits

(what teh 

crap's a tuppit?!?)

a baaaaagg!

Feed the birds

Tenten: walks by ?!??!?!

Lee: OH MI YOUTH!

Tenten: falls over at sight of Neji with bird seed bag

Neji: ...I have hobbies too, you know!

Lee: At least our hobbies---are interesting! ..AND YOUTHFUL!

Tenten: o.o has no hobbies NOR background story

Lee: hobby of the glompage

Neji: ...well...

Tentne: At least its better than when Hanabi and Hinata double teamed you and did your hair-

flashback

Neji: NO! NO FLASHBACKS!

Tenten downcast


	15. A Lover's Foolish Tale Pt 1

Megumi: Hello! Its me again, I'm still alive!

audience: Awww...darn it...

Megumi: ANyways, this is part of my new novel THE TALE A FOOL WOULD TELL, adjusted for NejixTen Style (You know you Love it!)

Shino:...advertising...

Megumi: And so yah, I shall update it (eventually) for the rest. Eventually.

Shino: cough That means never.

Megumi; SILENCE!!! SO...I do not own Naruto, Shino no baka, or...or...

Shino: Inuzuka Kiba.

Megumi: I OWN HIM IN SPIRIT!!!!!

Shino:...Oo

Hinata: giggles

Kiba: ...???? Oo

Megumi: Now...that this has become utterly awkward, let's get onto the story! Indeed!

* * *

Their meeting was not of the normal kind. Fate would forbid it; destiny would be repulsed. A Hyuuga (Kin) clan member, meeting one of an unnamed clan? A Chinese clan?! Was she even from these lands, from this Village? Custom would hurl them both into the night, tearing them apart. Yet neither custom nor fate nor destiny could say a word.1

"Excuse me," the bun haired girl called from behind her crate of Mandarin oranges. Her chestnut brown hair was falling out, over her eyes, as if it wasn't hard to see already. So she let her feet guide her path, wandering blindly towards her restaurant: The Rising Twin Dragons (yes, taken from Tenten's amazing jutsu...)2

He never looked where he was going. He was known among his family as constantly in deep thought, always adding to his already immense knowledge. They praised him as the fruits of their clan, the one that would one day, perhaps, be the head of the clan. Perhaps. Thinking about this very issue, he did not notice when the Chinese girl walked straight into his path.3

It was a collision of mandarin oranges and two startled young adults, who both fell to the ground on impact. [Konoha's streets were accustomed to such encounters and chaos that none of the Villagers took a second glance, continuing on their merry way. 4

"Oh I'm so sorry," the Chinese girl's mouth began to ramble on, as it often did. It was as if a box had been opened, yet it would take inhuman amounts of force to close it once more. "When you run a restaurant single handedly, you don't have money to rent rickshaws or carts to carry around your products and you have to carry giant crates of ingredients around by hand, and those crates are impossible to see past--"5

As she continued to ramble on, the other victim of the collision arose stoically, brushing the dust off himself, beginning to pick up the salvagable spilt mandarin oranges, placing them back into the crate. Returnign to reality, the Chinese girl began to follow suit, yet her tongue continued to rattle on. 6

"I wonder if I get too many oranges. You see, a girl like me, being of Chinese descent, doesn't get much business. Japanese don't wanna give business to a Chinese girl. BUt there are some loyal customers, and I get enough to live off. But--"7

"You're not, from here then I suppose," the man interjected the instant she took a short breath. 8

The spirited girl shook her head, her two buns shaking, hairs falling out of place. "I was raised here though, so its not like I'm a foreigner. They don't allow foreigners here any more, do they?"9

HE wasn't quite sure why he was staring at her. Was it in amazement that one person could find somethign to say continuously, without pause or care of the person she was speaking to? Or was it in thinking over the question, "Why am I still standing here with this annoying person?" Or, as he did not even consider, was there somethign very intreaguing and almost...attractive about her?10

Of course not.11

"What's your name?" he found himself asking before he could stop his lips.12

At that, she paused, looking him in the eye with curiousity. "...[Tenten" 13

"...[Tenten?"14

"Ten----Ten---" she pointed her index finger before her face, "And its not hard to forget, so you'd better not forget it." 15

Thinking to himself, he wondered, "What reason would I have to remember it," yet he found the name sticking in his mind: Tenten... "Tenten." he nodded. 16

"Well..." she stood there, frowning at him. Confused, he rose an eyebrow. Why was he even still standing here? "You've asked my name. Its only polite to tell me yours," she finished with a sigh of impatience.17

"Oh." he frowned. "Hyuuga Neji."18

"Hyuuga?" she shifted her head to one side playfully. "Isn't that one of the high clans of the VIllage? So they do exist?"19

"DO they exist?" he coughed annoyed, the way royalty does. "Of course we exist. We are the ones who keep this village in existance. How can you even ask such a question?"20

"I just thought it was a folktale for this place," she shrugged, "I thought it was just an excuse for what's been going on in this place,"21

"Nande?!"22

"That's right; I have a thing against the high clans of this place."23

"I could have you killed for such words!" he threatened, his temper rising. Very few things made his temper rise. 24

"Kill me then," she dared, balancing on one foot like a child. "why don't you just have me killed right now? One less Chinese to think about," her eyes twinkled with the delight of adventure, as if she almost wished to face death right here, right now. 25

"Why don't I?" he thought, very tempted to swiftly perform his newest jutsu. Being of the Hyuuga clan, a subtle death as this one would be not considered for more than a second, even if it were for a trivial reason. He was a Hyuuga; he had his reasons. Yet something held him back as a smirk spread over his broad lips. "I'm not as foolish with life as some of the higher clan members,"26

At those words, she smiled. "That's a good thing," With nothing else to say (could it be true?), she hauled up the giant box of mandarin oranges, "It was a pleasure to meet you, Hyuuga Neji,"

"The pleasure was all mine," he replied on instinct, no emotion backing up his words. Turning one last time to see her continue blindly down the street, he sighed, pushing back the question: _What is so different about that girl?_


	16. A Lover's Foolish Tale Pt 2

Her mind could not stop playing reruns of the day. She saw herself, the oranges, the man…_Hyuuga Neji he had called himself,_ she mused. What was so particularly special about him? Another one of those Elemental clan _daimyo_ who thinks of himself as better than everyone else…especially the Chinese. She sighed. Why did everyone hate the Chinese?

There was a time when the Village loved all kinds of people. They needed jobs, and the Village had places for any man who was hardworking to come. Then the elder generation turned back the clock to the fundamentalist ages, the purist beliefs. Every man or woman who was not full-blooded Japanese was looked upon as barely human, and hardly tolerated in public. Each day was growing more and more dangerous, and Ten Ten wondered how she had stayed alive so long, especially if she was running into men of Elemental Clans such as the Hyuuga clan. Such as Hyuuga Neji…

_He was rather handsome…_ her mind considered for a moment until she tossed the idea behind with disgust. _Him? Of the higher clans? What would make me want him? _She shook her head, a blush growing. _No. No. No. Anything but that. _

"Ten Ten chan!" her friend and employee Megumi called to her. Ten Ten's head instantly was thrust up, her eyes unnaturally wide, as if she had been suddenly pulled from a dream into the middle of a day. "Ten Ten chan, what are you doing?" Megumi frowned at her friend.

"No—nothing," Ten Ten gained consciousness. "I'm fine. Never felt better!" she grinned, her thin eyes squinting up.

Somehow, Megumi seemed satisfied with that answer, walking towards the wooden doors of the Rising Twin Dragons. It was one of those fake grins; Megumi was sure, the kind Ten Ten put on at the spur of the moment to keep face, to be polite. That was a Japanese way of doing things too, so she could understand. "Ready for another day of work?" Megumi grinned, her usual cheeriness trying to make Ten Ten forget whatever was bothering her.

"Of course," Ten Ten smiled back, though her mind dozed back to earlier thoughts.

The mid-noon wind brushed against the withered trees. He could hear it as vividly as if his head was right next to the branches, courtesy of the silence. The constant silence of the Hyuuga clan home.

That was the _kata_ for the Elemental Clans, the higher class. The Kins were of one of the higher ranked clans, and Neji's father was among the top leaders of the clan, the _daimyo_. They, above all, were expected to follow the _kata_, the way of doing things.

In Hyuuga Neji's mind, the cruel irony of the _daimyo's_ _kata_ was that the way of doing things was doing absolutely nothing at all. His mother, being a woman, was expected to stay in a nearly empty room through the day, honing the arts of sumi painting and koto playing, and teaching the youngest daughter, Hanabi, the essential hand signs for the _Ogon no_ _Jutsu_. The _Ogon no_ _Jutsu_, was the signature _jutsu_, or battle art of the Kins. It was fueled off the power of metal (as were all of the Hyuuga clan jutsus). This one particularly also needed the glow of the sun. Yet in the small room, was there much sunlight?

He, being the next heir for the Hyuuga line, was expected by Hyuuga Clan _kata_ to stay away from the common people. To live as one who is above that. Neji never understood why, or how he could do that. What if he liked being in the common streets--away from the Hyuuga manor, freed? What if there was something beyond the Hyuuga kana, something that he wanted? He was going to find it, he determined, even if it meant defying all rules. The rules, the _kata_, who needed them?

So that was why he was here, in the middle of the street, walking among the common people. Dressed in a simple _yutaka_, none recognized him as an elemental clan member. None except for that Chinese girl Ten Ten.

He still remembered her name? Stopping in his steps, his hand brushed at the air as if swatting a fly, as if trying to shoo away the memory. Just because he wanted to be freed from the _daimyo_ fate didn't mean he wanted to be in the level of the destitute, especially not a girl from the Middle Kingdom…

"You again!" he cringed at her voice, the voice he had only heard once before. Somehow, it still clung to his memory like a bad flavor in the mouth. The kind that wouldn't leave no matter what he did. "Fancy seeing 'Mr.-I'm-A-Hyuuga' again," As she grinned, her eyes squinted up. He frowned. There was something cute about that grin.

"It is the main street of the village," he muttered barely coherently. "There's nothing unusual about seeing the same stranger twice."

"But there is," she persisted, wanting to make this into something more. "How many 'great clan members' of the _daimyo_ go walking around the common streets? It's a little odd."

"There are occasions that permit it," He quickly covered, determined to hide his true reason for being here. "I'm the son of the _Daimyo_; why should I not go as I please?"

That look in her eyes frightened him. Never before had he seen such expressive eyes, literal openings into her soul, he was sure. She knew something. Giving the smile of a cat, she observed, "You're escaping that life, aren't you?"

"What?" Neji's voice was in a deathly whisper, half in fear and half in astonishment that she could know that. "What gave you such a ridiculous idea!"

"It's not ridiculous," she corrected, a frown setting in over her plump lips. "It's the truth. You're tired of the way of royalty. I can't blame you, honestly."

"What would you know? You're just from the Middle Kingdom!" he tried to not raise his voice, but he couldn't disguise the outrage in his heart. How dare she try to pick apart his life and his motives for his actions? They were mere strangers!

The smile had left her eyes. "What is it with you arrogant Japanese high clans? Just because I'm from the Middle Kingdom (a fact I am quite proud of) doesn't mean that I am not human, that I can't decipher human emotions as well! Do you think that just because I am not of the _daimyo_'s family that I have never felt the need to leave my life, to discover a new one, to be free?" At this point, feeling a tear rise to her almond crested eyes, she swept a quick hand up to wipe it away before he noticed.

But Neji did notice. His face grew a ghostly white at her words, which echoed through his mind endlessly. _You arrogant Japanese high clans…_That was what he feared, was it not? To be of those "high clans"? She phrased his desire perfectly: to be free.

When he said nothing, his dark eyes just staring out into the distance, Ten Ten turned away, walking towards her home and restaurant. "Never mind, you fool. I must have been wrong; you are a _daimyo_ at heart—"

Instantly, she felt the strong hand grab her upper arm. Spinning on the spot, her eyes met his as he asked in a harsh whisper, "Help me."

Bitter eyebrows wrinkled up in anger. "Why should I?"

"Because—I'll help you."

"Yakitori! Sukiyaki! Ramen!" A vendor's voice hailed from the warm street corner. Under the shade of the stand, two men in wide brimmed _sugegasa _strawhats stood, their veiled eyes scanning the crowds of villagers, going about their daily tasks.

"Do you see any sign of Prince Neji?" the one on the left asked after motioning for the cook to prepare a bowl of ramen.

"No." the other frowned, turning to his partner. "This seems to me to be a futile search. Why would Prince Neji wander around the streets of the Village? Are they sure he is not just hunting in the woods or practicing his _kekki genkai_?" His specialty martial art.

"No command from Hyuuga Arata is meaningless. Surely, he has reason to believe that his son is going through the common streets."

"But why, Chouji?" the man on the right demanded with a firm brow studying the distance. "What would dissatisfy him from the Hyuuga clan, from the honor of being the future Hyuuga _Daimyo_? Most men would die for such a position."

"Perhaps a lover?" the two snickered, turning to see two ramen bowls on the counter behind them. Muttering thanks to the server, they turned back to watching the streets, taking occasional sips of ramen.

"Perhaps he is too young to see that fate is a guider as opposed to an enemy." The man on the right muttered through the silence, making Chouji's head turn in confusion. "In youth, one seeks freedom. But as the years go by, one realizes that freedom is not all that it seems to be. Perhaps you yourself are too young to understand, Chouji." Though Chouji frowned at the addition, he held his tongue. Turning from the half finished bowls of ramen, the man stood up and remarked, "Chouji, I believe that this search is over. It will only be a matter of time before Neji-sama sees his error. Fate is far stricter of an enforcer of reality than either of us can be."

"This is the Rising Twin Dragons." In a half hearted sweeping motion with her arm, Ten Ten stood before her fading restaurant front with Neji. The already dusty shelves in the windows gave little justice to the grandeur Ten Ten saw in it. But surely, nothing was grand compared to what this son of the _daimyo_ was used to.

So it was to her surprise when he muttered in satisfaction, "It's perfect."

With the creak of the door, sunlight burst into the empty room. Walking over to a table, Neji took a seat in a lonely chair, his eyes looking over every corner. "So how did you get this place?"

"I saved money. I worked hard. It hurt a lot."

"It hurt?" the Japanese young man looked to the Chinese girl in curiosity. Everything she said had some hidden meaning, he noticed. For that reason, she was rather interesting to listen to. But only for that reason, he mentally added.

Looking down at her calloused fingers, she laughed, "I suppose I learned when I came here that life isn't always like a faerie tale. You have to work and bleed before there's a happily ever after. I'm not sure I've seen that ending yet."

"You seem to be doing rather well though," he frowned, his eyes glancing around the room. Perhaps not _well_, but well for a Middle Kingdom woman, that is. How many single young women could live in a land where her kind were hated yet still buy property and work a business _alone_? It was incredible, an admirable achievement in that way.

This time, her true laugh rang free, uninhibited by the presence of a near stranger. Though it was a hurt laugh filled with prior pain, it was the most sincere and beautiful laugh Neji could recall. "That is what you see, not what is. There is always pain that others aren't allowed to see."

When silence fell between them, she walked around the circular table, remarking, "You know, when I first bought this place, I really had the dream of having it as an inn." She wondered what compelled her to tell him of this secret passion, the one she had bottled up for so long. Even if she had known him for such a short amount of time, something about his presence freed her, and made her want to tell him everything about herself.

"An inn?" Neji's eyebrow rose. "Why an inn?"

With a wild grin, she replied, "So I could tell stories."

"Stories? What kind of stories?"

"Oh, all kinds, I suppose. Myths and legends and dreams and nightmares, whatever my mind can imagine on the spot."

"Are you any good?" he asked, a look of interest leaking through his eyes.

Seeing it as a challenge, Ten Ten smiled, sitting down in a chair across from him, and began telling a story. These were the sort of moments she hoped for but never had until now: the moments she could do what she wanted to. "Once upon a time, in the Tang Dynasty, there was a man named Chun Yufen…"

Neji found himself hung on every word she spoke, entranced as if he were a little child, who lived on the words of stories like a man did on rice. This girl had a gift, a sight given by the gods, to tell these stories. How else could a mortal tell stories with such passion and accuracy?

"He found he was in a dream world, one lined with many red gates, with gardens and fountains and fairies and creatures unnamed! It was a place that can't be found in this world." Here her excited voice faltered, and her eyes became distant, looking at the dull grey wall.

"Well then, what happened?" Neji urged her, wanting to know the end.

"He discovered it was all just a dream," Ten Ten's voice whispered, not daring to look him in the eye. "I'm beginning to wonder if that's how all tales end."

In that moment, her hurt was exposed, and yet she looked so beautiful. Neji tried to not think such thoughts, but they still came to him in a way he could not deny. She was beautiful. A beautiful foreigner.

What blasphemy!

Never could he even imagine a union with a _gaikokujin_, an outsider. Men of such a high clan and place could not loose face, dishonor all their kinsmen, to take for themselves a low class foreigner! How could he even draw close to such a thought! It was repulsive, abominable, unthinkable…

Beautiful.

She noticed that his thoughts had become distant. "Hyuuga san," Ten Ten stopped her story, "Is it really that dull?"

Neji's eyes flashed back to attention. "Dull? It was wonderful, very good! I did not know you were so gifted with words."

Certainly she did not expect such a reply. Rarely had she been in the face of Flattery, let alone from a Japanese high clansman! She couldn't restrain the blush that stained her cheeks. "Not wonderful, surely. I'm not very good at stories, but I love to tell them anyways."

_It's a shame you are a foreigner, _Neji thought to himself, _perhaps then we could know each other on another level. All she can be for me is a hiding place right now, away from the Hyuuga clan. Once I can escape from their field of vision, she will be gone. I may not want to be the daimyo, but I do have some dignity. I could never lower myself to such a level. _The thoughts bothered him so he shook them off and asked, "Would you tell another?"

The next morning, he awoke to the smell of ______. Never before had he smelled a food so vividly, as if it were already in his mouth. It was delicate, foreign, but warm and entrancing. Neji's stomach growled, as he lifted his head up a bit to look for where the scent was coming from.

"Get up, you lazy fool!" That Chinese voice belted. Startled by the sudden noise, he hardly heard her continue, "You want to stay in this place? You have to work to earn your keep. You are a man, and a Japanese one at that! Have you no sense of honor? Do you expect a poor little woman like me to do all the work in this place? I won't treat you differently because you're some head clansman!"

What a funny sight! Did women even know such words, Neji wondered. Few women were so bold as to speak to a man before being addressed, particularly unmarried ones. Never did they complain or accuse men of any wrong doings. This woman was little less than a stranger, and yet she spoke as if he were her son! He hardly believed it was happening; it must be an odd dream. Instead of following her words, Neji laughed aloud at the idea.

"What's so funny?" Ten Ten snapped, "Do you think I'm making jest? I mean every word, and I'm being kind! You know I have all sorts of heavy pots and pans I could throw in your face—"

But every word she spoke made him laugh harder and harder. She spoke as if she were a man in a woman's body! Neji couldn't hold himself back from laughing at the thought.

When he wouldn't stop, Ten Ten sent a firm palm against his cheek, sending an echo of a slap through the room and an end to the laughter.

"You hit me." He came to the realization after some time.

"That I did."

"A woman hit me," Neji put his hand against his wounded cheek, still unable to believe this for a moment. Was all of China like this, with bold mouthed women? What a funny girl this was! He laughed again. "A Chinese woman hit me. Do all women in the Middle Kingdom hit their men?"

"Few. What's so funny about that?" Ten Ten did not like being taken lightly.

"No Japanese woman would ever dare to be half as bold as you!"

"Is that a compliment?" Ten Ten snapped, though she couldn't hide the blush over her cheeks.

"…Perhaps," he smirked in a way that spoke yes. She noticed that smirk and had to turn away once she saw it. That was because that smirk told her what she had been trying to deny ever since the moment she saw Neji: she loved him. He could never know that though. That would be a weakness, a weakness the Japanese could take advantage of. Never would she allow that to happen.

So she changed the subject. "Well then, I am bolder than Japanese woman. You still need to help with the cooking and the cleaning. Hurry up and get ready!" _Relentless. _Neji's eyes followed her, surprised that no emotion but complete seriousness lurked over her expression. Ten Ten walked to the kitchen without him, starting to prepare _ashinogoku_, breakfast. _She is one tough woman, _he mentally observed, groggily getting out of the makeshift bed, _as tough as a man!_

He had never tasted anything so perfect. It tasted like a place that should have been his home all along but wasn't because Fate was a cruel creature. It was not a taste he would have tasted in his high official home. None of the things in this restaurant would be in his home though. It was a shame, because everything about this small restaurant was so comfortable, fascinating, and perfect. The kind of place he had wanted all along.

Neji wondered how a girl like her, single handedly, had come to learn to cook like this. To talk as she did. To own her own restaurant. To travel to a foreign _dangerous _land alone. Could she truly do everything?

Few people were so fascinating.

"Why are you here in Japan, anyways?" he asked at last, not caring how rude and to the point he was being.

No one had ever asked that question before. Megumi had wanted to on many occasions, Ten Ten was sure, but the conversation between them was wordless and all through the eyes. Ten Ten told her it was a question she would never be prepared to answer. Now this Japanese man, a man she hardly knew, was asking her this intimate question that she did not even explain to her dearest friend.

She shuffled some porceilin bowls across the short table, trying to hide the mixed emotions across her face. Part of her was flattered that he was interested in her life, part of her was offended to tell such an intimate tale, and part of her was bitter to recall her life's story. It was the kind of story no child should have to remember.

"Oh, you won't tell me?" he teased, which caught her attention. He was smiling now, the first time she had actually seen him smile before. It was a smile unlike any other she had seen, a smile only worthy of the sun, a smile she would do anything for. If only that smile would stay for many days to come! It made her heart race in a way she had never felt before, in a way she couldn't explain. Ten Ten felt hollow at the knees, having a sudden urge to fall into his arms and watch that smile until she could no longer see. It was a sort of weakness she had never felt before.

So she told him. She told him all about her small village in the Yunnan province in China, her friend Zhou who had birds that fished for the fishermen, how the communists came and how she wasn't content with her simple happy life in China. She should have stayed in China. She remembered how Zhou had asked her: "Why can't you be content with what you have? Why can't you just do what people tell you? Why can't you be happy with me?"

She didn't know why.

She didn't like the communist posters that were hung on the sides of buildings and falling into the water of the lake of the Moon Lady. One of Zhou's birds picked up one of the flairs once. It scared her. No man should have that kind of power, she thought to herself, to be everywhere and honored by everyone. And she had heard of a tiny village in Japan that needed workers. It didn't like communism, but it didn't mind people from the Middle Kingdom. It would be a new world for her to explore, a place were she could be free and happy and earn for herself a name that she couldn't in a tiny rural village.

So she left on the next boat to Japan.

_Ye ye _didn't know, her extended family didn't know, her neighbors didn't know, but she thought Zhou probably knew. He knew she was a wild spirit, the kind that couldn't be happy in one place. She hoped his spirit wished her good fortune.

Japan wasn't the beautiful land she thought it would be. "The Land of the Rising Son": how could that _not _be glorious? The first week or so was like stepping into a faerie tale: everyone was well standing, and though not everyone was rich, there was enough for everyone. Compared to her village in Yunnan, it was pure luxury! Because she was an immigrant, she had to get small jobs. She cleaned for the _daimyo_ once or twice, and had the duty to take care of the chamber pots and waste. It was not fun work, but it was what she expected. She was in a new land; she would have to work. It paid her well and she was never hungry.

But then the fundamentalists rose.

The older generation in the Village grew tired of all these _gaikokujin,_ foreigners, polluting the Village's tradition, and took out their wrath on every foreigner. Some were kicked out for crimes they never committed. Some were quietly murdered, their lives covered up as if they had never existed. Every night, she couldn't help wondering if she was next. She wondered why she hadn't run away yet. She wondered why she had had to be so adventurous, and why she couldn't have just listened to Zhou's advice. Listen to your elders. Be content where you are. Don't dream so much.

And that was why she was here right now.

She sounded bitter as she spoke, maybe with some regret for her young impulsive foolishness. Yet she still held on to some sort of hope that it would all change and that her happy story would come, a spark in her eyes that was still wild and imaginative. She would not die now.

Perhaps Neji had expected a different story: of a girl being whisked away to a foreign land by a lover, or a girl following family to a new place. She was right when she said she had worked for everything she had now; nothing had been handed to her. She didn't even look tired, he observed. Even through the pain, she persevered with passion and boldness. How many women did that?

Not enough, Neji decided.

He thought of the other women of the Hyuuga clan. The ones with powdered white faces, glossy black hair parted from their face, rich colored kimonos and silent red painted lips. They were raised to perform tasks they would probably never use. They were decorations for Hyuuga men to boast in.

That had never set in before until he truly knew Ten Ten, such a stark contrast from them. She could never be a decoration. She would never allow herself to be a decoration. It was not supposed to be good for women to be strong; it meant there was an imbalance of the elements.

But there was something terribly attractive about it.

Ten Ten studied his expression carefully. So he truly _was _paying attention to her story. Men did not pay attention to the tales of women; it was considered childish. But he was truly sincerely listening. _The eyes do not lie_, she thought to herself.

That was the other thing that was odd; Neji was still here. She would have assumed that by now, he would have said to her, "Thank you for the time here; I've got to go find my place away from my family," and she would have reluctantly let him go. But that was a man did; he did not stay longer than necessary.

But there was a flicker of a smile in Neji's eyes, those eyes that were so cold the first time she had seen them. His smile was enchanting, that was the only way she could describe it, and it was sincere. As if he was enjoying the company with a woman. How unusual.

How desirable.

There was good reason for both of them to remain in the Rising Twin Dragons together for a while.

"So why is it that you keep your hair in these buns?" Neji asked one day, daring to gently pull on the hairs that were gradually unwinding. It was too much of a temptation to watch them bobbing there in the filtered sunlight. He had watched them bob like that for a few weeks now. She had noticed him watching, but he hardly cared.

"It's tradition!" the Chinese girl pouted, cupping her hands over her hair. "Why does it matter?"

"But what does it look like down?" a smirk of amusement played over Neji's face. He knew Ten Ten well enough at this point. She had been so rough with him, he decided, why should he not be a bit rough with her? He _was _a man, after all. He should be the one teasing her, not vice versa.

Reading his thoughts, Ten Ten took a step back, her eyes watching him closely. "Don't you even think about it—"

Taking a step forward, he replied with masked innocence, "What am I thinking about?"

"It'd be unchaste!" She laughed, running across the room. Following suit, he chased her until chairs and tables wobbled uneasily, nearly being knocked down from the path of the two.

Despite Ten Ten's tries to escape, Neji caught her arms from behind, pulling her towards him. His warmth made her body instantly tighten up, her legs unable to move. Gently, his hand untied the buns of her hair, letting the umber waves cascade down to her shoulders.

She felt his fingers stop half way across her hair, making her lips whisper shakily, "I used to always imagine myself as a beautiful princess, with long locks of hair to my back. But I learned rather quickly how foolish it was—"

But before she could continue, her lips were cut off by his, as he spun her body around to face him. Moving his grip to hold her more tightly, the hair ties fell to the floor, quickly forgotten. As he reluctantly pulled away from her, he whispered in her ear, "You are a beautiful princess."

Every part of Ten Ten melted into his arms as warm tears ran down her cheeks. Any denial was worthless now. Noticing the wet spot on his sleeve, Neji loosened his grip, a look of worry on his face. "What did I do?"

Without a word, the Chinese girl's grip on his shirt only tightened as she pulled herself back close to him. In a whisper hardly discernable, she asked, "Say it again, please."

"Rising Twin Dragons…" Neji mused, his chin to Ten Ten's hair. "So why did you name this place the Rising Twin Dragons?"

"Well…" Ten Ten frowned in thought, her fingers tracing around his palm. "My _ye ye _told me a story of two dragons that together supported the Heavens in a time of trouble. He told me that no matter how alone I would feel, there would be one to save me. My own dragon. When I came here with nothing and found this restaurant, it was for me, a savior: a dragon. In memory of Ye Ye, I thought I should name it after his tale that strengthened me: Rising Twin Dragons."

At first, he said nothing, running his fingers through her hair, his expression deep in thought. Not quite sure what this meant, she whispered, "What are you thinking?"

"Your dragon…" he mused, pulling her closer to him. "You don't feel alone any longer, right?"

Smiling in relief, she moved herself into his arms. "Of course not." Looking up to him, her smile grew, starting to see what he was thinking. "In many ways, you were my dragon, my savior."

At that, his expression softened as he replied, "You were my dragon as well."

That seemed to surprise her. "Your dragon?"

"It was you that freed me…you that helped me realize that I should not live by fate." With the touch of his fingers down her cheek, a chill of delight ran through her skin. "I love you, my little dragon."

"Ten Ten chan!" Megumi burst through the doors of the Rising Twin Dragons, carrying in her arms a torn apron and a lucky bottle of duck sauce. Never was there a good Chinese dish without duck sauce, Megumi always complained. To her surprise, she noticed that the front room was empty, yet all of the tables were neatly covered in new white tablecloths.

This sign of neatness made Megumi pause in thought. Ten Ten had often remarked that Chinese restaurants did not care about decoration, and that it was only the food that mattered. And yet, the more that she looked around the room, the more neat and refined it looked. The dust from the corners was swept away, along with that small black spider Megumi had grown so fond of. "Hmm…" Megumi mused.

"What are you doing, Neji-kun?" a distant voice giggled. Freezing in her spot, Megumi rose and ear to listen.

"You said Soy sauce, Ten Ten chan." A male voice replied, just as bright as the first. "Don't tell me you're changing your mind again!"

The sound of splashing water and laughs echoed louder, as Megumi realized it all originated from the kitchen. With ginger tiptoes, she snuck over to the door, peaking through a small crack in the side.

To her surprise, it was none other than Ten Ten who was laughing so loudly, accompanied by some Japanese boy. Who was he? What was he doing here, with Ten Ten of all people? Ten Ten never cared for strangers. And never did she get so rambunctious and open in front of those besides Megumi. It was then that Megumi sadly noticed, it was the first time she had ever heard Ten Ten really laugh.

But suddenly, the two stopped their playing around, their ears perked. Megumi, kneeling outside the door, then realized what they had heard: her squeaking shoes across the tile. Jumping to her feet, she hardly looked suspicious when Ten Ten opened the door. A strong blush covered the Chinese girl's face when she asked, "What are you doing here?"

Raising an eyebrow suspiciously, Megumi muttered confused, "I'm here for work…? Did you forget to tell me about a holiday?"

Ten Ten's eyes snapped out of their dazed state, as she shook her dark hair furiously. "Silly me, of course you're here for work! Let's get started right away!"

It was by the old rustic sink that Megumi had seen Ten Ten laughing with that mysterious young man. But as she looked there once more, Megumi jumped to notice: he was gone. Scanning around the whole kitchen, there was no sign of a young man's presence then, or ever. _Did I envision it all? Is that how desperate I am to see Ten Ten smile sincerely once more? _Megumi doubted, looking back to Ten Ten's puzzled expression. "Well are we gonna just stand around or are we gonna cook?"

Speechless, Megumi simply nodded, watching Ten Ten rush to get a large wok pan, and to hear the wok stove warm. Humming a Chinese folk songto herself, Ten Ten poured some oil on the pan, making the sound and scent of sizzling fill the air. Everything was as normal outwardly. Yet Megumi still wondered, who was that that she had seen? Shrugging off the question for now, she tied her apron around her waist, grinning and going off to another day of cooking.

"Chouji san," one voice called across the dark empty alleyway. "Have you ever noticed that place before?"

"Of course not," Chouji snickered, "It's Chinese."

Usually, Tsutaru would have been amused by that sort of comment. But not tonight. "It seems highly suspicious there, standing alone in the street like that."

"_Hai;_ shouldn't it have been shut down eons ago? Since when has the village tolerated Chinese businesses?"

"There are still some that don't want to be plucked," Tsutaru nearly spat. No one liked these foreigners polluting the village. Perhaps in finding the lost son of the _daimyo_, they could also root out a little rebellious _gaikokujin_. Kill two birds with one stone. "And do you notice how its lights are still on?"

At this, Chouji became serious, his eyes squinting in thought. "Not even a man from the Middle Kingdom would want a bowl of lo mien at this hour."

The two watched, as if waiting for the light to go out. It did not. "Perhaps Hyuuga-sama would take pleasure in this information," Tsutaru said at last.

Chouji nodded, and hardly noticed when Tsutaru began walking the other way. "Tsutaru san! Don't you think we should investigate more, maybe look in and see what is going on?"

"Another night," Tsutaru replied, continuing forward. "We're trying to find the son Neji, remember?"

"Oh right!" Chouji stood to attention, following his partner. Behind them, the light of the Rising Twin Dragons flickered, but still remained on, standing strong against the darkness. It would not go off until the morning.

She had never felt joy like she felt that night. She tried to remember it and keep it in her mind forever, because it was the only time she could recall feeling true happiness. What was smoother than flesh upon flesh, and what tasted sweeter than lips upon lips? There was nothing but him, his body, him next to her now. She was not Chinese; he was not Japanese. They were two spirits, united on a level that no other beings had ever been united, she was sure. It was a bond that surpassed any sort of man made barrier: any _kata _or village or war or hurt. Every night before, she would wake up from a blow of the cold, and remember that she only had a wearing sheet with Chinese gold characters for a blanket. The blanket was thrown in a corner that night. She had stopped counting the times he had kissed her, and she wasn't ashamed of the embarrassing sort of things they had done. She was sure she had forgotten what embarrassment was. Nothing could ever hurt this.

He had promised himself to her, and she to him. "One day," Neji had whispered in her ear, "when division between Japanese and Chinese is forgotten, we shall build up this place to be an inn. You can tell your stories, and I will extend this building out so it can host many many men. It will all be the way it should be." She believed his words, as he sincerely did too. They lived in their words. There was no one to stop them.

He was still asleep, she noticed, but she smiled as he whispered her name in his sleep. His lips moved so smoothly as he spoke, even if it was while he was sleeping. Her finger traced over his lips with a gentle brush, fascinated with the smallest workings like a small child. She felt his lips smile from under her finger, and she smiled back. She truly smiled. She had forgotten how nice it felt to smile.

It came the moment they least expected, when they had finally found some sort of happiness. Of course, their eyes were closed, their guard lifted, and yet, when they looked back on the moment, it still seemed impossible.

"Neji kun!" Ten Ten's laugh filled the small dining room of the Rising Twin Dragons as she was nearly lifted from the floor by Neji's arms. The two danced across the dust-collecting floor, clearly unafraid of any that could look on. They were alone, or so they believed.

The laughter broke when the door suddenly burst open, revealing two men dressed as guards. As they stepped into the dimly lit room, it was clear that they had not come alone, for there stood an older man, dressed in the garb of a _daimyo_. The _Daimyo_ looked to Neji, and Neji to him, and it was then that Ten Ten realized that this was Neji's father.

The couple's steps froze, Neji's eyes widening as his arm nearly dropped Ten Ten. "No…not in all of Heaven…" he whispered, his words lost in a second.

"Hyuuga Neji," one guard spoke for Neji's father, who turned his face in shame. "You have, as you are aware, been caught in the middle of a most disgraceful grievance: abandoning the Hyuuga clan. But it is more than that, for you are also found in association with an outsider, one we have reason to suspect that you have grown far too fond of." The guard's eyes glanced over to the Chinese girl, looking her over from top to bottom, noticing Neji's hand still rested on her hip. "That is more than adequate proof," he motioned his head towards the hand.

A hundred smart remarks came to Ten Ten's mind, yet her mouth was dry and words could not reach her lips in fear. Her eyes were fixed on the _Daimyo_, his look of authority frightening her more and more with each passing minute.

When Neji said nothing, the guard continued, "You must come with us at once."

"And what if I refuse?" the young man's eyes narrowed, his hold on Ten Ten growing more protectively tight. "Yes, I left the Hyuuga clan. I am only ashamed I did not do it sooner."

"Control your tongue!" The _Daimyo_ spoke at last, his voice making the whole building quiver. Stepping towards the boy, he turned his head, unable to make eye contact. "You have disgraced me and the clan as a whole in ways you will never understand. What possessed you to commit such foolishness?"

"Common sense," replied Neji, his tone growing sharper with any moment. "What's done is done. Can you not just leave me be?"

"You will do as all men do when they lose their honor: _hara-kiri."_ As he said the last word, the room seemed to freeze over. _Hara-kiri_: Ten Ten had heard of that before, but only in tales of the high classes. When one dishonored himself and his family, he was sentenced to kill himself by opening his stomach… No, that was only in tales. Never would her Neji have to do that. Never, she promised herself.

"Neji is not a fool," her voice came out only as a hoarse whisper, and yet every head turned to listen. "He sees how honor can be restored, though life cannot."

The hit across her face burned as if she were struck with a hot iron. Turning her head, she saw that it was the _Daimyo_ who had hit her. "You should know to hold your tongue, Chinese whore." He spat.

Without any premonition, a sturdy punch flew from Neji's side. Ten Ten found herself clutching to the front of his shirt with all of her strength, doing all she could to avoid the throw. The _Daimyo_'s reflexes were rather fast as well however, holding his son's fist in his palm. "Don't even think to speak of her like that!" Neji shouted, ignoring any _kata_ of protocol.

A well landed throw went straight to Neji's stomach, nearly hitting Ten Ten as well. In shock and pain, he staggered backwards, only held up by a shaken Ten Ten. "You should never even think to speak in the way you dare right now. You will lose your tongue for such foolishness." His father's face showed no sign of emotion, even when his son began to cough up blood. "Take him," he motioned to the two guards.

"No!" Ten Ten screamed, clutching to her lover with an even tighter grip. "You Japanese have taken everything from me: my dignity, my culture, my family, my life, but you will not take my one hope for happiness!"

With a rough shove, she was pushed to the floor, her burning cheeks met with the cold wood. "And what does it matter what you have, Chinese girl? You are a fool to think your voice could make any sort of difference." The ends of the _daimyo_'s lips pulled into a smirk. The Chinese girl's shrieks and protests along with his own son's shouts and grotesque coughs made no impression on his outward appearance or reaction as he heartlessly sent the guards to separate the two lovers.

"The harlot's death would be easy to excuse. She is a foreigner, and she has committed a vile crime. It would be a fitting punishment." Ten Ten's eyes watched him fearfully, her body trembling violently. "However, I believe there is an even more fitting punishment, one that is far more painful and effective." The devious smirk pulling on the _daimyo_'s lips made Ten Ten sick to her stomach, knowing that whatever his plan was, it was sick and perverse.

Raising his arms up with inspiration, he continued, "For her lover to die and for her to continue on through life alone is a sort of hell for any young girl. From now on, in this Village, there shall be a law prohibiting the death of this girl. No matter her foolish words or actions, she shall be forced to live. It will give her many a day to remember the way it truly is: you are a simple Chinese girl and there is no reason for you to live."

The last words she remembered were Neji's shout: _Aishiteru, _Ten Ten chan. I love you. She wouldn't let go of those words, even when her head fell to the floor and all became darkness.

Before she even opened her eyes, she screamed. Neji's name echoed through the dining room of the Rising Twin Dragons. It was empty, she observed bitterly, but she quickly rose to her feet and sprang out the door. There was a sign on the outside, prohibiting people to eat there, but she didn't notice. Her only thought was _Neji…Neji…Please let me find you alive! _

The path below her was sprinkled with tear drops, and her feet began to bleed from the rough stones below. She didn't think of that though; she continued forward desperately, looking for any sign of her lover.

She wished she had not found it.

For there, off in the distant street of the Village, was a procession, a small procession, carrying a vile up to the hills where the burial shrines lay. Ashes of a body, she presumed. She noticed the kanji "Hyuuga". It was the same in Chinese, she laughed. She shouldn't laugh at a moment like this, but that was why she laughed. The pain was too much; her body could not take it all in. All she could do was laugh as the tears trickled down her silk gown.

He should have had a greater procession that that. Those were probably his closest family: the mother and sister he had spoken so highly of, and perhaps his closest friends. They were the only ones who would dare find a way to bury the remains of a body of a dishonored clansman. The only way they got away with it now was because it was the wee hours of the morning, Ten Ten just noticed. There was only a faint halo of light spread across the streets now, enough for her to see the kanji and the vile. Enough for her to realize that he had probably had to kill himself as all men of honor had to when they committed a crime. _Hara-kiri_. He must have taken a blade, pressed it against his own stomach…

She could no longer think.

Ten Ten ran, faster than she had before, until her feet were numb from the cuts and blisters. She didn't know where she was running; she just ran. She had to run. There was nothing else for her to do.

_One day, when division between Japanese and Chinese is forgotten, we shall build up this place to be an inn. _Neji's young voice proclaimed so confidently in her memory. _When division between Japanese and Chinese is forgotten:_ what a lovely dream. But now, more than ever, did she see it would never come true. Her inn, too, would grow to be no more than a dream. His death proved it.

"Neji…" she dared to whisper, but already felt a sudden rush of tears flow from her eyes. Rare were the moments that she had no control over her emotions. The pain, no matter how bad it got, was always under her hand. However, this most resent loss tore at her very being, until there was no reason to hold back her cries. In the most bitter cry she could muster, she screamed to the sky, "My very soul has been taken from me! How am I to live?"

Neji Hyuuga was a ghost. He could never be mentioned again, not even in a thought. It would be a curse to remember that happiness. It would be a curse to remember what never should have been.


End file.
